What is the average water temperature in Virginia?

The current average water temperature across Virginia's monitored water bodies is 65.4°F.

🌡️

Virginia Water Temperatures

Q: What is the warmest lake in Virginia today?

James River And Kanawha Canal Near Richmond, Va at 84.2°F.

Current lake & river temperatures in Virginia — updated daily from USGS sensors.

100

With Data

65.4°F

State Avg

84.2°F

Warmest

84.2°F

Warmest

James River And Kanawha Canal Near Richmond, Va

65.4°F

State Average

100 water bodies

56.3°F

Coldest

Rappahannock River At Remington, Va

🏊

Swimming Conditions

⚠️ Brisk — wetsuit recommended

Based on avg 65.4°F

🎣

Fishing Conditions

🎣 Good — trout, walleye, bass

Based on avg 65.4°F

Virginia — Ranked by Temperature

100 with data

#	Water Body	°F	°C	Condition	🏊	Date
1	James River And Kanawha Canal Near Richmond, Va River	84.2°	29°	☀️ Warm	🏊 Excellent	Aug 31
2	James River Near Richmond, Va River	78.8°	26°	☀️ Warm	✅ Good	Sep 29
3	Rappahannock River Near Fredericksburg, Va River	78.8°	26°	☀️ Warm	✅ Good	Jun 4
4	James River At Buchanan, Va River	75.2°	24°	☀️ Warm	✅ Good	Jan 31
5	Jackson River At Falling Spring, Va River	75.2°	24°	☀️ Warm	✅ Good	Jun 5
6	Appomattox River At Matoaca, Va River	75.2°	24°	☀️ Warm	✅ Good	Jun 5
7	S F Shenandoah River At Front Royal, Va River	75.2°	24°	☀️ Warm	✅ Good	Oct 8
8	Powell River Near Jonesville, Va River	74.8°	23.8°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Jun 29
9	Elizabeth Riv At Midtown Tunnel At Norfolk, Va Lake	73.6°	23.1°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Jun 5
10	New River Near Galax, Va River	73.4°	23°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Sep 29
11	Smith River At Martinsville, Va River	73°	22.8°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	May 20
12	Mattaponi River Near Beulahville, Va River	71.8°	22.1°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
13	Cub Creek At Phenix, Va River	71.6°	22°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Sep 4
14	Roanoke River At Altavista, Va River	71.6°	22°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Aug 15
15	Roanoke River At Rts 639/760 At Salem, Va River	71.1°	21.7°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
16	Accotink Creek Near Annandale, Va River	70.9°	21.6°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 4
17	Clinch River At Route 65 At Dungannon, Va River	70.7°	21.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
18	Accotink Creek At Keene Mill Rd At Springfield, Va River	70.5°	21.4°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
19	Clinch River At Cleveland, Va River	70.3°	21.3°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
20	Flatlick Branch Above Frog Branch At Chantilly, Va Lake	70.3°	21.3°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
21	Chickahominy River Near Providence Forge, Va River	70.2°	21.2°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
22	James River At Cartersville, Va River	69.8°	21°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 4
23	Deep Creek Near Mannboro, Va River	69.6°	20.9°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Sep 30
24	Reed Creek At Grahams Forge, Va River	68.9°	20.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 30
25	Long Branch Near Annandale, Va Lake	68.7°	20.4°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 4
26	Difficult Run Near Great Falls, Va Lake	68.4°	20.2°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
27	Appomattox River At Farmville, Va River	67.8°	19.9°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Sep 30
28	Dragon Swamp At Mascot, Va Lake	67.8°	19.9°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
29	Hardware River Bl Briery Run Nr Scottsville, Va River	67.5°	19.7°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Sep 30
30	Roanoke River At Niagara, Va River	67.5°	19.7°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 8
31	S F Little Difficult Run Above Mouth Nr Vienna, Va Lake	67.3°	19.6°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
32	Cowpasture River Near Clifton Forge, Va River	67.1°	19.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Sep 29
33	Tinker Creek Above Glade Creek At Roanoke, Va River	67.1°	19.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
34	Snakeden Branch Above Lake Audubon At Reston, Va Lake	66.7°	19.3°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
35	Russell Fork At Haysi, Va Lake	66.2°	19°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Sep 29
36	Cherrystone Ck Above Nr Co Rd 1444 Nr Chatham, Va Lake	66.2°	19°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
37	M F Holston River Near Meadowview, Va River	65.8°	18.8°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	May 31
38	Clinch River At Speers Ferry, Va River	65.8°	18.8°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Sep 29
39	Smith Creek Near New Market, Va River	65.7°	18.7°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 4
40	Back Creek Near Mountain Grove, Va River	65.5°	18.6°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
41	Difficult Run Above Fox Lake Near Fairfax, Va Lake	65.3°	18.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
42	New River At Ivanhoe, Va River	65.3°	18.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Sep 29
43	Cherrystone Ck Below Nr Co Rd 1444 Nr Chatham, Va Lake	65.3°	18.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
44	Walker Creek At Bane, Va River	65.3°	18.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Sep 29
45	Dead Run At Whann Avenue Near Mclean, Va Lake	65.1°	18.4°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 5
46	S F Shenandoah River Near Lynnwood, Va River	65.1°	18.4°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Sep 29
47	Dunlap Creek Near Covington, Va River	65.1°	18.4°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Sep 29
48	Jackson Riv At Filtration Plant At Covington, Va Lake	64.9°	18.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
49	New River At Allisonia, Va River	64.9°	18.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
50	Goose Creek Near Huddleston, Va River	64.6°	18.1°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 16
51	The Glade Near Howland Drive At Reston, Va Lake	64.6°	18.1°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
52	Long Branch At Olley Lane Nr Fairfax, Va Lake	64.4°	18°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
53	Sandy Creek Above Near Mount Herman, Va River	64.4°	18°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
54	War Branch Below Trib Near Tenth Legion, Va Lake	64.4°	18°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
55	Holiday Creek Near Andersonville, Va River	64.4°	18°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
56	Wolf Creek Near Narrows, Va River	64°	17.8°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
57	North Anna River At Hart Corner Near Doswell, Va River	64°	17.8°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 7
58	Dan River At South Boston, Va River	63.9°	17.7°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
59	North Meherrin River Near Lunenburg, Va River	63.9°	17.7°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
60	Sandy Creek Below Near Mount Herman, Va River	63.7°	17.6°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
61	White Oak Creek Above Near Chatham, Va River	63.3°	17.4°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
62	Mattaponi River Near Bowling Green, Va River	63.1°	17.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 16
63	Muddy Creek At Mount Clinton, Va River	63.1°	17.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
64	S F Shenandoah River Near Luray, Va River	63°	17.2°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
65	White Oak Creek Below Near Chatham, Va River	63°	17.2°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
66	Blackwater River Near Dendron, Va River	63°	17.2°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 16
67	Conveyance Chan At Ramsgate Ln Nr Great Bridge, Va Lake	62.8°	17.1°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
68	Piscataway Creek Near Tappahannock, Va River	62.6°	17°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 16
69	Meherrin River At Emporia, Va River	62.6°	17°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	May 1
70	Roanoke (Staunton) River At Randolph, Va River	62.6°	17°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
71	Big Otter River Near Evington, Va River	62.2°	16.8°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 16
72	S F Roanoke River Near Shawsville, Va River	62.2°	16.8°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 14
73	South River At Harriston, Va River	61.9°	16.6°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
74	Sandy River Near Danville, Va River	61.9°	16.6°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 13
75	Robinson River Near Locust Dale, Va River	61.7°	16.5°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 6
76	Lick Run Above Patton Avenue At Roanoke, Va Lake	61.5°	16.4°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 7
77	James River At Lick Run, Va River	61.2°	16.2°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
78	Meherrin River Near Lawrenceville, Va River	60.8°	16°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 25
79	James River At Scottsville, Va River	60.8°	16°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Dec 14
80	South River Near Dooms, Va River	60.6°	15.9°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
81	Calfpasture River Above Mill Creek At Goshen, Va River	60.6°	15.9°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 5
82	Maury River Near Buena Vista, Va River	60.4°	15.8°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 13
83	N F Rivanna River Near Earlysville, Va River	60.3°	15.7°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 8
84	Back Creek Near Sunrise, Va River	60.3°	15.7°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 2
85	Little Back Creek Near Sunrise, Va River	60.1°	15.6°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 2
86	Hazel River At Rixeyville, Va River	59.9°	15.5°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
87	Little River Near Doswell, Va River	59.7°	15.4°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 7
88	Roanoke River At Buggs Island, Va River	59.5°	15.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
89	Falling River Near Naruna, Va River	59°	15°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 13
90	Dan River At Paces, Va River	58.8°	14.9°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
91	Jackson River Bl Gathright Dam Nr Hot Spgs, Va River	58.6°	14.8°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 5
92	Aquia Creek Near Garrisonville, Va River	58.5°	14.7°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	May 5
93	Johns Creek At New Castle, Va River	58.3°	14.6°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 15
94	North Mayo River Near Spencer, Va River	58.1°	14.5°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 14
95	South River Near Waynesboro, Va River	58.1°	14.5°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
96	New River At Glen Lyn, Va River	57.2°	14°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Apr 15
97	Roanoke River At Lafayette, Va River	56.8°	13.8°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
98	Nottoway River Near Stony Creek, Va River	56.7°	13.7°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Oct 21
99	Appomattox River At Mattoax, Va River	56.7°	13.7°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Apr 12
100	Rappahannock River At Remington, Va River	56.3°	13.5°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29

James River And Kanawha Canal Near Richmond, Va River

84.2°F

☀️ Warm

James River Near Richmond, Va River

78.8°F

☀️ Warm

Rappahannock River Near Fredericksburg, Va River

78.8°F

☀️ Warm

James River At Buchanan, Va River

75.2°F

☀️ Warm

Jackson River At Falling Spring, Va River

75.2°F

☀️ Warm

Appomattox River At Matoaca, Va River

75.2°F

☀️ Warm

S F Shenandoah River At Front Royal, Va River

75.2°F

☀️ Warm

Powell River Near Jonesville, Va River

74.8°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Elizabeth Riv At Midtown Tunnel At Norfolk, Va Lake

73.6°F

🌤️ Comfortable

New River Near Galax, Va River

73.4°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Smith River At Martinsville, Va River

73°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Mattaponi River Near Beulahville, Va River

71.8°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Cub Creek At Phenix, Va River

71.6°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Roanoke River At Altavista, Va River

71.6°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Roanoke River At Rts 639/760 At Salem, Va River

71.1°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Accotink Creek Near Annandale, Va River

70.9°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Clinch River At Route 65 At Dungannon, Va River

70.7°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Accotink Creek At Keene Mill Rd At Springfield, Va River

70.5°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Clinch River At Cleveland, Va River

70.3°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Flatlick Branch Above Frog Branch At Chantilly, Va Lake

70.3°F

🌤️ Comfortable

More Virginia Resources

🗺️ Virginia Water Levels 🎣 Weekly Fishing Report ⛵ Boat Ramp Status 🌵 Drought Conditions 🌡️ All States

❓ Virginia Water Temperature FAQ

What is the warmest lake in Virginia today?

Based on our latest USGS data, James River And Kanawha Canal Near Richmond, Va is currently the warmest water body in Virginia at 84.2°F.

Which Virginia lakes are good for swimming right now?

Lakes with water temperatures above 72°F are generally comfortable for swimming. Currently, Virginia's average water temperature is 65.4°F — check individual lakes above for specific conditions.

What is the best water temperature for fishing in Virginia?

The optimal temperature range depends on your target species. For bass fishing, look for water bodies between 65–75°F. For trout, target the coldest water bodies in Virginia — typically 50–65°F. Use the table above to identify which lakes are in the ideal range for your target species.

🔬 Data Methodology & Sources

Water temperature readings on this site are collected from USGS (United States Geological Survey) monitoring stations installed at lakes, rivers, and reservoirs across the country. Sensors measure water surface temperature in Celsius, which is converted to Fahrenheit for display. Data is retrieved and stored daily. Temperatures shown reflect the most recent available sensor reading for each water body, typically from the past 1–30 days depending on station reporting frequency.

⚠️ Water temperatures can vary significantly across a water body due to depth, currents, and time of day. Sensor readings represent conditions at the monitoring station location. Always exercise caution when swimming and consult local authorities for official safety advisories.