Pool swim season in Mobile, AL
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Mobile, AL?
An unheated pool in Mobile reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 months a year. The air allows up to 9 swimmable months with a heater (Mar to Nov).
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What each heater buys you in Mobile
| 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 | 8 | Apr to Nov | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $264 | $814 |
| Gas heater + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $547 | $972 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at AL prices of 16.5¢/kWh electricity and $18/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Mobile
Solar panels + cover: 8 of 9 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 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: Mobile Dwtn Airport, 4.6 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Mobile 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 | 62° | 52° | 3.0 | 54° | 60° | – | – |
| Feb | 66° | 56° | 3.6 | 55° | 61° | – | – |
| Mar | 72° | 62° | 4.8 | 61° | 67° | $133 | $271 |
| Apr | 78° | 68° | 5.9 | 68° | 74° | $55 | $123 |
| May | 85° | 76° | 6.5 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jun | 90° | 82° | 6.3 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Jul | 92° | 84° | 5.9 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 84° | 5.6 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Sep | 89° | 80° | 5.2 | 84° | 90° | – | – |
| Oct | 81° | 71° | 4.5 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Nov | 72° | 61° | 3.5 | 67° | 73° | $76 | $153 |
| Dec | 64° | 55° | 2.7 | 57° | 63° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $133 with a heat pump, $271 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.5 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 41.9 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Mobile compares with nearby cities
Mobile ranks 3 of 66 Alabama cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prichard, AL | 7 mi | 4 | 9 | $309 |
| Saraland, AL | 13 mi | 4 | 9 | $309 |
| Daphne, AL | 14 mi | 4 | 8 | $274 |
| Spanish Fort, AL | 15 mi | 4 | 8 | $274 |
| Fairhope, AL | 17 mi | 4 | 9 | $390 |
| Moss Point, MS | 30 mi | 4 | 9 | $278 |