Pool swim season in Carlsbad, NM
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Carlsbad, NM?
An unheated pool in Carlsbad reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 months a year. The air allows up to 8 swimmable months with a heater (Mar to Oct).
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Heater options for a Carlsbad pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 5 | May to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 8 | Mar to Oct | $298 | $848 |
| Gas heater + cover | 8 | Mar to Oct | $354 | $779 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at NM prices of 15.3¢/kWh electricity and $10/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Carlsbad
Solar panels + cover: 7 of 8 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $94 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 gas as well as a heat pump: once the purchase price is counted, gas comes out cheaper all-in here (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Carlsbad, 3.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Carlsbad 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 | 59° | 44° | 3.6 | 45° | 51° | – | – |
| Feb | 64° | 49° | 4.5 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
| Mar | 72° | 56° | 5.7 | 55° | 61° | $187 | $212 |
| Apr | 80° | 64° | 7.1 | 64° | 70° | $86 | $110 |
| May | 88° | 73° | 7.6 | 73° | 79° | $7 | $9 |
| Jun | 97° | 82° | 7.8 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Jul | 97° | 84° | 7.2 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Aug | 95° | 82° | 6.6 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Sep | 88° | 75° | 5.7 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Oct | 80° | 65° | 4.8 | 72° | 78° | $18 | $23 |
| Nov | 68° | 53° | 3.7 | 60° | 66° | – | – |
| Dec | 59° | 45° | 3.2 | 49° | 55° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $187 with a heat pump, $212 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 7.8 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 26.7 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Carlsbad compares with nearby cities
Carlsbad ranks 1 of 19 New Mexico cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artesia, NM | 33 mi | 4 | 8 | $462 |
| Lovington, NM | 64 mi | 4 | 8 | $347 |
| Hobbs, NM | 67 mi | 4 | 7 | $169 |
| Roswell, NM | 69 mi | 2 | 7 | $269 |
| Town of Pecos, TX | 82 mi | 4 | 8 | $259 |
| Andrews, TX | 99 mi | 4 | 8 | $280 |