Pool swim season in Pueblo, CO
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Pueblo, CO?
An unheated pool in Pueblo reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 5 swimmable months with a heater (May to Sep).
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What each heater buys you in Pueblo
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 2 | Jul to Aug | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 3 | Jul to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $176 | $726 |
| Gas heater + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $230 | $655 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at CO prices of 16.8¢/kWh electricity and $11/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Pueblo
Solar panels + cover: 4 of 5 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $142 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 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: NWS Office Pueblo, 4.9 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Pueblo 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 | 48° | 32° | 2.7 | 31° | 37° | – | – |
| Feb | 51° | 35° | 3.6 | 34° | 40° | – | – |
| Mar | 60° | 44° | 5.0 | 41° | 47° | – | – |
| Apr | 68° | 52° | 6.1 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
| May | 77° | 61° | 6.8 | 60° | 66° | $140 | $178 |
| Jun | 88° | 72° | 7.4 | 71° | 77° | $28 | $41 |
| Jul | 93° | 77° | 7.0 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Aug | 90° | 75° | 6.4 | 79° | 85° | – | – |
| Sep | 83° | 66° | 5.5 | 73° | 79° | $8 | $11 |
| Oct | 70° | 53° | 4.2 | 61° | 67° | – | – |
| Nov | 57° | 40° | 3.1 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
| Dec | 47° | 31° | 2.4 | 35° | 41° | – | – |
Heating costs most in May (about $140 with a heat pump, $178 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 7.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 27.4 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Pueblo compares with nearby cities
Pueblo ranks 3 of 53 Colorado cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fountain, CO | 29 mi | 0 | 5 | $315 |
| Cañon City, CO | 35 mi | 0 | 5 | $273 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 42 mi | 0 | 5 | $315 |
| Monument, CO | 57 mi | 0 | 4 | $284 |
| Castle Rock, CO | 78 mi | 0 | 4 | $177 |
| Castle Pines, CO | 84 mi | 0 | 4 | $177 |