Pool swim season in Roswell, NM
Roswell, NM: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Roswell reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
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Heater options for a Roswell pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 2 | Jul to Aug | $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 | $269 | $819 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $327 | $752 |
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 Roswell
Solar panels + cover: 6 of 7 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 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: Roswell Climat, 0.9 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Roswell 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 | 56° | 39° | 3.5 | 40° | 46° | – | – |
| Feb | 61° | 44° | 4.4 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Mar | 69° | 52° | 5.7 | 50° | 56° | – | – |
| Apr | 76° | 59° | 7.0 | 59° | 65° | $145 | $170 |
| May | 85° | 67° | 7.6 | 68° | 74° | $56 | $75 |
| Jun | 94° | 77° | 7.8 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Jul | 94° | 80° | 7.3 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 78° | 6.6 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Sep | 84° | 70° | 5.7 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Oct | 76° | 60° | 4.7 | 67° | 73° | $68 | $82 |
| Nov | 64° | 47° | 3.6 | 54° | 60° | – | – |
| Dec | 56° | 39° | 3.1 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $145 with a heat pump, $170 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 7.8 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 14.3 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Roswell compares with nearby cities
Roswell ranks 10 of 19 New Mexico cities for unheated swim months; Artesia, Carlsbad, Lovington nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artesia, NM | 37 mi | 4 | 8 | $462 |
| Carlsbad, NM | 69 mi | 4 | 8 | $298 |
| Lovington, NM | 74 mi | 4 | 8 | $347 |
| Portales, NM | 87 mi | 3 | 7 | $244 |
| Alamogordo, NM | 90 mi | 4 | 7 | $140 |
| Hobbs, NM | 91 mi | 4 | 7 | $169 |