Water temperature in Sweden

Swimming in Swedish lakes and archipelagos

Sweden swims in the Baltic, along its west coast facing the Kattegat and Skagerrak, and in a great many lakes. The large lakes behave very differently: Mälaren becomes pleasant in summer, while deep Vättern stays cool for a long time. The Baltic warms through July and August, earlier in sheltered archipelago bays than on the open coast, and the season is shorter in the north along the Gulf of Bothnia. Small forest lakes are often the first to tempt swimmers in early summer.

Almost all of the 392 sites come from two Swedish sources. SMHI, the national meteorological and hydrological institute, runs measuring stations along the coast and on lakes. Through Badplatsen, the service operated by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, municipalities report temperatures at their official bathing spots, often recorded during sampling and therefore at intervals. A few coastal places are filled in by the Open-Meteo marine model and labelled as model values.

Municipalities test their bathing spots during the season and rate them from excellent to poor under the EU Bathing Water Directive. In late summer, cyanobacteria blooms can spread across parts of the Baltic, and children and dogs should then stay out of the water. On the east coast, offshore wind can draw cold deep water to the surface and drop the temperature overnight. On large lakes, wind and waves can change quickly. The right of public access allows swimming in many places, provided nature and residents are respected.