Pool swim season in St. Michael, MN

When can you swim in an outdoor pool in St. Michael, MN?

An unheated pool in St. Michael never reaches 78°F in a normal year. It peaks around 72°F in Jul. The air allows up to 4 swimmable months with a heater (Jun to Sep).

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

What each heater buys you in St. Michael

For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at MN prices of 16.4¢/kWh electricity and $11/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.

The cheapest way to the full season in St. Michael

Solar panels + cover: 4 of 4 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: Buffalo 2NE, 7.3 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.

St. Michael month by month: air, sun and pool water

Heating costs most in Jun (about $85 with a heat pump, $116 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jul at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 36.6 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.

How St. Michael compares with nearby cities

St. Michael ranks 78 of 103 Minnesota cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.