Pool season · New Jersey
Clifton Pool Season: the Year on One Bar
Last updated: July 25, 2026 · dates · water temp
This is the one-page view of Clifton's pool year: both model windows, the estimated water-temperature curve, and today's live position on the season bar. The detailed checklists live on the opening and closing guides; this page is the calendar you check between them.
Clifton, NJ — 87 swim days a yearEach dot on the bar is one week of Clifton's typical year, colored by what the model says that week is for: gray weeks are off-season, hollow teal marks the opening window (April 23–May 14), solid teal is swim season, and hollow amber is the closing window ending October 8. The black marker is today — its position against the colors is the entire executive summary.
The Clifton pool calendar
Opening — target April 30
Open by April 30 — a two-week head start on the May 14 crossing keeps startup chemistry small and beats the local service rush.
Closing — deadline October 8
The window opens September 28 once water leaves the algae zone; the model deadline is October 8, a week ahead of the October 28 freeze normal.
Estimated water temperature by month
This is Clifton's typical-year water curve: the same EWMA model as the live widget, run on the 1991–2020 normals instead of this week's weather.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32° | 30° | 36° | 46° | 57° | 67° | 75° | 75° | 71° | 60° | 49° | 39° |
The curve peaks near 76°F — comfortable-water months here usually involve a heater or a solar cover.
Every station tells its own story: compare this curve with Vineland's pool season and Elizabeth's — neighboring normals stations can shift the windows by a week or more. The full ranking lives on the New Jersey season index.
Clifton pool season FAQ
When should I open my pool in Clifton, NJ?
The site model recommends opening by April 30 — about two weeks before Clifton's 7-day mean temperature crosses 61°F, while the water is still too cold for algae. The step-by-step sequence is in the Clifton opening guide.
When should I close my pool in Clifton?
Winterize by October 8. The model holds the deadline a week ahead of Clifton's NOAA 50% first-freeze date, so the plumbing is protected before the first hard night. The full sequence is in the Clifton closing guide.
How long is the swim season in Clifton?
Clifton averages 87 days a year with normal highs of 80°F or better — right on the statewide median. The New Jersey season index ranks all 7 covered cities by the same metric.
How warm does pool water get in Clifton?
An unheated pool near Clifton typically peaks around 76°F in high summer and bottoms out near 30°F in winter, never quite reaching the 78°F comfort line without a heater or solar cover. The month-by-month curve above shows the whole cycle; the methodology page explains the ±5°F error bars.
Email me when Clifton hits the closing window
Data: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals via Little Falls (3.9 mi); live outlook by Open-Meteo. Attribution: sources · assumptions: methodology.