Pool swim season in Muscle Shoals, AL

When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Muscle Shoals, AL?

An unheated pool in Muscle Shoals reaches 78°F in Jul to Sep, about 3 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).

1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D

Heater options for a Muscle Shoals pool, side by side

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 Muscle Shoals

Solar panels + cover: 6 of 7 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $94 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: Muscle Shoals Wtp, 1.2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.

Muscle Shoals month by month: air, sun and pool water

Heating costs most in Apr (about $157 with a heat pump, $315 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 29.6 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.

How Muscle Shoals compares with nearby cities

Muscle Shoals ranks 50 of 66 Alabama cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.