Swimmers who train daily in Ireland and Scotland may have a different perspective and definitions of water temperatures than swimmers who reside in the Cayman Islands or Fiji, but when we think about the global perspective of open water swimming, these definitions and water temperature ranges seem like a good compromise among swimmers around the world:

Water Temperature Ranges:

Ice: 0°C – 5°C or 32°F – 41°F
Very Cold: 5.01°C – 10°C or 41.02°F – 50°F
Cold: 10.01°C – 15°C or 50.02°F – 59°F
Moderate: 15.01°C – 20°C or 59.02°F – 68°F
Warm: 20.01°C – 25°C or 68.02°F – 77°F
Very Warm: 25.01°C – 30°C or 77.02°F – 86°F
Hot: 30.01°C – 35°C or 86.02°F – 95°F

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