Pool swim season in Hobbs, NM
Swim season in Hobbs without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Hobbs 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 Hobbs
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $169 | $719 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $214 | $639 |
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 Hobbs
Solar panels + cover: 7 of 7 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $94 for each month it adds.
A solar cover alone adds no swim months here, so if you want a longer season you need a heater (why); still use one at night to hold the heat you pay for. 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: Hobbs, 1.7 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Hobbs 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 | 55° | 42° | 3.6 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Feb | 61° | 47° | 4.4 | 46° | 52° | – | – |
| Mar | 69° | 54° | 5.7 | 53° | 59° | – | – |
| Apr | 77° | 62° | 7.1 | 62° | 68° | $108 | $134 |
| May | 85° | 71° | 7.6 | 71° | 77° | $21 | $30 |
| Jun | 93° | 79° | 7.9 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Jul | 94° | 81° | 7.4 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 80° | 6.8 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Sep | 85° | 73° | 5.7 | 79° | 85° | – | – |
| Oct | 76° | 63° | 4.8 | 70° | 76° | $40 | $50 |
| Nov | 64° | 51° | 3.7 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
| Dec | 56° | 43° | 3.2 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $108 with a heat pump, $134 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 7.9 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 40.7 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Hobbs compares with nearby cities
Hobbs ranks 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovington, NM | 18 mi | 4 | 8 | $347 |
| Andrews, TX | 45 mi | 4 | 8 | $280 |
| Carlsbad, NM | 67 mi | 4 | 8 | $298 |
| Artesia, NM | 74 mi | 4 | 8 | $462 |
| Levelland, TX | 75 mi | 2 | 7 | $281 |
| Odessa, TX | 76 mi | 4 | 8 | $297 |