Lake Rotorua vs Lake Wakatipu

Lake Rotorua is the warmer swim right now at about 13.7°C. They are roughly 995 km apart in New Zealand.

Lake Rotorua

Bay of Plenty

13.7°C

cool · modelled estimate

October average
13.7°C
Warmest month
February · 22.0°C
Coldest month
11.0°C
Swim season
January–December

Shallow geothermal-fed North Island lake, warm by New Zealand standards.

Lake Wakatipu

Otago

8.2°C

cold · modelled estimate

October average
8.2°C
Warmest month
February · 15.0°C
Coldest month
6.0°C
Swim season
no month averages above 18°C — a wetsuit lake year-round

Queenstown's zig-zag glacial lake — cold enough that most swims are short.

Month by month

LakeJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Lake Rotorua21.3°C22.0°C21.3°C19.3°C16.5°C13.8°C11.7°C11.0°C11.7°C13.7°C16.5°C19.3°C
Lake Wakatipu14.4°C15.0°C14.4°C12.8°C10.5°C8.3°C6.6°C6.0°C6.6°C8.2°C10.5°C12.8°C

Monthly values are modelled from each lake's long-term winter and summer envelope, then refined with today's forecast air temperature for the headline reading.

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