Pool swim season in Ardmore, OK
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Ardmore, OK?
An unheated pool in Ardmore reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 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 Ardmore
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 5 | Jun to Oct | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $126 | $676 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $265 | $690 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at OK prices of 13.8¢/kWh electricity and $14/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Ardmore
Solar panels + cover: 6 of 7 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $142 for each month it adds.
Before you pay for any heater, buy a solar cover: on its own it adds 1 month 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: Ardmore, 2.2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Ardmore 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 | 54° | 43° | 2.9 | 44° | 50° | – | – |
| Feb | 59° | 48° | 3.5 | 46° | 52° | – | – |
| Mar | 67° | 56° | 4.6 | 53° | 59° | – | – |
| Apr | 75° | 64° | 5.6 | 63° | 69° | $92 | $190 |
| May | 82° | 72° | 6.0 | 71° | 77° | $21 | $48 |
| Jun | 90° | 80° | 6.9 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Jul | 95° | 85° | 6.9 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Aug | 95° | 85° | 6.2 | 88° | 94° | – | – |
| Sep | 87° | 77° | 5.2 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Oct | 77° | 66° | 4.0 | 72° | 78° | $13 | $27 |
| Nov | 65° | 54° | 3.1 | 60° | 66° | – | – |
| Dec | 55° | 45° | 2.5 | 49° | 55° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $92 with a heat pump, $190 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jul at 6.9 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 47.8 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Ardmore compares with nearby cities
Ardmore ranks 1 of 45 Oklahoma cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville, TX | 39 mi | 4 | 7 | $192 |
| Denison, TX | 43 mi | 4 | 7 | $183 |
| Durant, OK | 45 mi | 4 | 7 | $180 |
| Ada, OK | 47 mi | 3 | 7 | $217 |
| Sherman, TX | 49 mi | 4 | 7 | $183 |
| Duncan, OK | 51 mi | 3 | 7 | $196 |