Pool swim season in Las Cruces, NM
Swim season in Las Cruces without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Las Cruces 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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What each heater buys you in Las Cruces
| 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 | 8 | Mar to Oct | $343 | $893 |
| Gas heater + cover | 8 | Mar to Oct | $406 | $831 |
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 Las Cruces
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.
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: State Univ, 3.5 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Las Cruces 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° | 4.6 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
| Mar | 71° | 55° | 5.9 | 55° | 61° | $195 | $218 |
| Apr | 79° | 62° | 7.2 | 63° | 69° | $102 | $127 |
| May | 87° | 71° | 7.9 | 71° | 77° | $22 | $31 |
| Jun | 96° | 80° | 8.0 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Jul | 96° | 82° | 7.1 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 94° | 81° | 6.6 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Sep | 88° | 75° | 5.9 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Oct | 80° | 64° | 4.9 | 71° | 77° | $24 | $30 |
| Nov | 68° | 52° | 3.8 | 59° | 65° | – | – |
| Dec | 58° | 44° | 3.2 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $195 with a heat pump, $218 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 8.0 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 33.3 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Las Cruces compares with nearby cities
Las Cruces ranks 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunland Park, NM | 36 mi | 4 | 8 | $333 |
| El Paso, TX | 39 mi | 4 | 8 | $224 |
| Deming, NM | 56 mi | 4 | 8 | $388 |
| Horizon City, TX | 57 mi | 4 | 8 | $224 |
| Socorro, TX | 57 mi | 4 | 8 | $224 |
| San Elizario, TX | 60 mi | 4 | 8 | $292 |