Pool swim season in La Grande, OR
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in La Grande, OR?
An unheated pool in La Grande never reaches 78°F in a normal year. It peaks around 74°F in Aug. The air allows up to 4 swimmable months with a heater (Jun to Sep).
- J
- F
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- M
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- J
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- D
Heater options for a La Grande pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 0 | no month | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 1 | Aug | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 4 | Jun to Sep | $200 | $750 |
| Gas heater + cover | 4 | Jun to Sep | $421 | $846 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at OR prices of 15.5¢/kWh electricity and $17/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in La Grande
Solar panels + cover: 4 of 4 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $71 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: La Grande, 0.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
La Grande 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 | 39° | 32° | 1.4 | 30° | 36° | – | – |
| Feb | 44° | 35° | 2.3 | 33° | 39° | – | – |
| Mar | 52° | 41° | 3.5 | 39° | 45° | – | – |
| Apr | 59° | 47° | 5.1 | 46° | 52° | – | – |
| May | 68° | 55° | 6.2 | 54° | 60° | – | – |
| Jun | 75° | 62° | 7.1 | 63° | 69° | $106 | $220 |
| Jul | 86° | 70° | 7.7 | 71° | 77° | $27 | $62 |
| Aug | 87° | 70° | 6.5 | 74° | 80° | $3 | $8 |
| Sep | 77° | 61° | 4.8 | 67° | 73° | $64 | $131 |
| Oct | 62° | 49° | 3.0 | 55° | 61° | – | – |
| Nov | 48° | 39° | 1.6 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Dec | 39° | 32° | 1.1 | 33° | 39° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Jun (about $106 with a heat pump, $220 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jul at 7.7 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 37.7 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How La Grande compares with nearby cities
La Grande ranks 10 of 57 Oregon cities for unheated swim months; Walla Walla, Hermiston, Kennewick nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker City, OR | 40 mi | 0 | 4 | $260 |
| Pendleton, OR | 43 mi | 0 | 5 | $259 |
| Walla Walla, WA | 53 mi | 1 | 5 | $187 |
| Hermiston, OR | 68 mi | 1 | 5 | $202 |
| Kennewick, WA | 80 mi | 1 | 5 | $141 |
| Pasco, WA | 82 mi | 0 | 5 | $190 |