Pool swim season in Amarillo, TX
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Amarillo, TX?
An unheated pool in Amarillo reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
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What each heater buys you in Amarillo
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 2 | Jul to Aug | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $395 | $945 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $869 | $1,294 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at TX prices of 16.0¢/kWh electricity and $19/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Amarillo
Heat pump + cover: 7 of 7 possible months for about $945 a year all-in, which works out near $189 for each month it adds.
Before you pay for any heater, buy a solar cover: on its own it adds 2 months here for about $50 a year (why a cover comes first). If you get quotes, ask for a heat pump sized to your pool's surface area; here it beats gas all-in (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Amarillo 7ENE, 7.2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Amarillo month by month: air, sun and pool water
| Month | Air high | Air avg | Sun kWh/m²/day | Water, unheated | Water, covered | Heat pump $ | Gas $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51° | 36° | 3.1 | 37° | 43° | – | – |
| Feb | 55° | 40° | 3.9 | 39° | 45° | – | – |
| Mar | 63° | 47° | 5.2 | 46° | 52° | – | – |
| Apr | 70° | 55° | 6.4 | 55° | 61° | $207 | $436 |
| May | 79° | 65° | 7.0 | 64° | 70° | $95 | $229 |
| Jun | 88° | 74° | 7.6 | 74° | 80° | – | – |
| Jul | 92° | 78° | 7.3 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Aug | 90° | 77° | 6.4 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Sep | 84° | 70° | 5.5 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Oct | 73° | 58° | 4.3 | 65° | 71° | $93 | $204 |
| Nov | 61° | 46° | 3.3 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
| Dec | 51° | 37° | 2.7 | 41° | 47° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $207 with a heat pump, $436 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 7.6 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 44.8 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Amarillo compares with nearby cities
Amarillo ranks 252 of 252 Texas cities for unheated swim months; Borger nearby gets a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon, TX | 15 mi | 2 | 7 | $330 |
| Borger, TX | 40 mi | 4 | 7 | $245 |
| Hereford, TX | 41 mi | 2 | 7 | $359 |
| Dumas, TX | 46 mi | 2 | 6 | $195 |
| Pampa, TX | 54 mi | 2 | 7 | $359 |
| Plainview, TX | 70 mi | 2 | 7 | $285 |