Water does not have one single “evaporation temperature” – it can evaporate at almost any temperature above freezing, and even slowly below freezing, but it boils at 100°C (212°F) at normal atmospheric pressure.

Quick Scoop

  • Water evaporates (turns to vapor from the surface) at all temperatures where it is liquid, including room temperature.
  • The warmer the water and the drier the air, the faster it evaporates.
  • At about 100°C (212°F) at sea level, water boils , which is a faster, more vigorous change from liquid to gas throughout the whole liquid, not just the surface.
  • Below 0°C (32°F), solid ice can slowly turn directly to vapor; this is called sublimation , not evaporation.

What temp does water evaporate?

If you’ve ever watched a puddle disappear on a cool day, you’ve already seen the key idea: water doesn’t wait for 100°C to start turning into vapor.

  • At room temperature (say 20–25°C / 68–77°F), liquid water is constantly losing molecules from its surface into the air; we just call that evaporation.
  • There is no sharp “on/off” temperature for evaporation; instead, the rate changes. Warmer water, moving air, and low humidity make it happen much faster.

So a more precise answer to “what temp does water evaporate?” is:

Water can evaporate at any temperature where it exists as a liquid , with the rate increasing as temperature rises. At 100°C (212°F) at normal pressure, the process becomes boiling rather than ordinary evaporation.

Evaporation vs boiling (why 100°C is special)

People often mix up evaporation and boiling, but they’re different behaviors of the same liquid–gas transition.

  • Evaporation :
    • Happens only at the surface of the liquid.
    • Occurs at any temperature.
    • Usually slow and gentle.
    • Depends heavily on air humidity and airflow.
  • Boiling :
    • Bubbles form throughout the liquid, not just at the surface.
    • Happens when the water’s vapor pressure equals the surrounding air pressure.
    • At sea level, that’s about 100°C (212°F) for pure water.

This is why water boils at lower temperatures in high mountains (lower air pressure) and a bit higher than 100°C in a pressure cooker (higher pressure).

A simple way to picture it

Imagine the water molecules as a crowd in a room:

  • Temperature measures how energetic the crowd is on average.
  • Even in a “calm” room (cool water), a few people are always energetic enough to sprint out the door. Those are the molecules that evaporate.
  • As you heat the water, more and more molecules have enough energy to escape, so evaporation speeds up.
  • When the average energy is high enough that “everyone” is trying to rush out at once and push against the air, you see boiling at about 100°C (at normal pressure).

Quick FAQ-style recap

  • Does water evaporate at room temp?
    Yes. A glass of water left out will eventually empty just from evaporation.
  • Is 100°C the temperature where water starts to evaporate?
    No. 100°C is the normal boiling point at sea level; evaporation happens well below that.
  • Can ice “evaporate”?
    Solid water below 0°C can go directly to vapor; this is called sublimation, but the effect (water entering the air) is similar.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.