Pool swim season in Memphis, TN
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Memphis, TN?
An unheated pool in Memphis 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 Memphis
| 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 | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $154 | $704 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $265 | $690 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at TN prices of 13.8¢/kWh electricity and $12/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Memphis
Solar panels + cover: 6 of 7 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $142 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: Memphis International Airport, 3.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Memphis 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 | 51° | 42° | 2.4 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Feb | 56° | 46° | 3.0 | 44° | 50° | – | – |
| Mar | 64° | 54° | 4.1 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
| Apr | 73° | 63° | 5.3 | 61° | 67° | $106 | $178 |
| May | 82° | 72° | 6.0 | 71° | 77° | $25 | $47 |
| Jun | 89° | 80° | 6.6 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Jul | 92° | 83° | 6.3 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 82° | 5.8 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Sep | 86° | 76° | 4.9 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Oct | 75° | 65° | 3.8 | 71° | 77° | $23 | $40 |
| Nov | 63° | 53° | 2.8 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
| Dec | 53° | 45° | 2.1 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $106 with a heat pump, $178 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.6 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 60.8 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Memphis compares with nearby cities
Memphis ranks 1 of 65 Tennessee cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germantown, TN | 11 mi | 4 | 7 | $185 |
| Southaven, MS | 11 mi | 4 | 7 | $167 |
| Horn Lake, MS | 12 mi | 4 | 7 | $165 |
| Bartlett, TN | 12 mi | 3 | 7 | $217 |
| Olive Branch, MS | 13 mi | 4 | 7 | $216 |
| West Memphis, AR | 13 mi | 4 | 7 | $193 |