When the first wisps of steam appear over my tea pot, what is the water temperature?

It may be around the 70 to 95 degrees Celsius, depending on the temperature of the room I guess. But it is definitely not 100, since your tea pot is not being heated.

Your question is a strange though... if you mean when the first wisps of steam appear, are you heating your tea pot? I know people to pour hot water in their tea pot, then it will be as soon as you pour water in your tea pot.

Depends how good your eyesight is ;)

I assume you mean kettle?

LOL, OK, I didn't consider that aspect :p

I'm not sure whether it's called a kettle or a pot. I heat the water in it and then steep the tea in the pot with a strainer. What I'm trying to get at is 160º for green tea which shouldn't be boiling.

The water at this temperature (if you meant 160 degrees celcuis) will be boiling, as well as you green tea. However, if you meant 160 degrees Fahrenheit, then no, you tea would not be boiling. You'll have vapours which are at the temperature you mentioned.

When the first wisps of steam appear over my tea pot, what is the water temperature?

The presence of wisps of steam is not indicative of the temperature. Those wisps depend on how fast water is condensing and re-evaporating (disappearing) and that depends on the temperature of the room and the humidity in the room. The only thing you can say is that it's warm.

Pure water boils at 100 C or 212 F. About all you can say is that when it's at a full boil, the vapor immediately above the liquid is at that temperature -- and so is the water.

The water at this temperature (if you meant 160 degrees celcuis) will be boiling, as well as you green tea. However, if you meant 160 degrees Farenheit, then no, you tea would not be boiling. You'll have vapours which are at the temperature you mentioned.

I never caught on to that Celsius stuff. Yes, I was looking for 160º Fahrenheit. Sounds like a few vapors is what I need. Thank you.

Glad that it helped! :)

Remember, Temprature as you measure it does not apply to each moliclue of water. The water is at a range of different tempratures. At standard pressure water can't become steam till it reaches 100 deg. However because a pot of water measured at 70 deg contains molucles at 50 dec and at 100 deg you will see some of the water start to evaporate. (all the water molucles with temp 100 will turn to steam). As the pot gets hotter the amount of water molcules being turned into steam increases, there will be a point at which the steam is think enough to bee seen by the human eye. I hope this answers your question.

2-month old question, Ranom515.

Great answer though. And much appreciated.