Pool swim season in Columbus, MS
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Columbus, MS?
An unheated pool in Columbus 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 Columbus
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $108 | $658 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $245 | $670 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at MS prices of 15.1¢/kWh electricity and $17/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Columbus
Solar cover only: 6 of 7 possible months for about $50 a year all-in, which works out near $25 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: Columbus, 3.1 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Columbus 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 | 56° | 46° | 2.6 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
| Feb | 61° | 50° | 3.2 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
| Mar | 70° | 58° | 4.3 | 55° | 61° | – | – |
| Apr | 78° | 66° | 5.5 | 64° | 70° | $84 | $188 |
| May | 85° | 73° | 6.1 | 73° | 79° | $12 | $30 |
| Jun | 91° | 80° | 6.5 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Jul | 94° | 83° | 6.1 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 93° | 83° | 5.7 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Sep | 88° | 77° | 5.0 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Oct | 78° | 66° | 4.0 | 73° | 79° | $12 | $27 |
| Nov | 67° | 55° | 3.0 | 60° | 66° | – | – |
| Dec | 58° | 48° | 2.3 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $84 with a heat pump, $188 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.5 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 8.7 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Columbus compares with nearby cities
Columbus ranks 1 of 41 Mississippi cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starkville, MS | 24 mi | 4 | 7 | $164 |
| Northport, AL | 50 mi | 4 | 8 | $288 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 54 mi | 4 | 7 | $161 |
| Tupelo, MS | 56 mi | 3 | 7 | $205 |
| Jasper, AL | 70 mi | 3 | 7 | $260 |
| Russellville, AL | 79 mi | 3 | 7 | $255 |