Pool swim season in Tucson, AZ
Tucson, AZ: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Tucson reaches 78°F in Jun to Oct, about 5 months a year. The air allows up to 9 swimmable months with a heater (Mar to Nov).
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Heater options for a Tucson pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 5 | Jun to Oct | $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 | $206 | $756 |
| Gas heater + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $488 | $913 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at AZ prices of 15.4¢/kWh electricity and $19/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Tucson
Solar panels + cover: 8 of 9 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: Tucson International Airport, 5.2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Tucson 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 | 67° | 54° | 3.6 | 54° | 60° | – | – |
| Feb | 69° | 56° | 4.5 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| Mar | 76° | 62° | 6.0 | 62° | 68° | $111 | $258 |
| Apr | 83° | 68° | 7.4 | 69° | 75° | $39 | $100 |
| May | 92° | 77° | 8.2 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Jun | 101° | 86° | 8.3 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Jul | 100° | 88° | 6.9 | 91° | 97° | – | – |
| Aug | 99° | 87° | 6.5 | 91° | 97° | – | – |
| Sep | 95° | 83° | 5.9 | 88° | 94° | – | – |
| Oct | 86° | 73° | 5.1 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Nov | 75° | 62° | 3.9 | 68° | 74° | $56 | $130 |
| Dec | 66° | 53° | 3.2 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $111 with a heat pump, $258 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 8.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 52.0 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Tucson compares with nearby cities
Tucson ranks 27 of 44 Arizona cities for unheated swim months; Eloy nearby gets a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahuarita, AZ | 16 mi | 4 | 9 | $262 |
| Oro Valley, AZ | 20 mi | 4 | 9 | $411 |
| Marana, AZ | 27 mi | 4 | 9 | $409 |
| Sierra Vista, AZ | 52 mi | 2 | 9 | $552 |
| Nogales, AZ | 55 mi | 4 | 9 | $404 |
| Eloy, AZ | 59 mi | 6 | 11 | $625 |