Pool season · New Mexico
Albuquerque Pool Season: the Year on One Bar
Last updated: July 25, 2026 · dates · water temp
This is the one-page view of Albuquerque'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.
Albuquerque, NM — 153 swim days a yearThe bar compresses Albuquerque's whole pool year into one lane rope: gray floats for the off-season, hollow teal for the April 15–May 6 opening window, solid teal for swim weeks, hollow amber for the closing stretch that ends October 13. Wherever the today marker sits, the nearest color change is your next appointment.
The Albuquerque pool calendar
Opening — target April 22
Target April 22; the practical window runs April 15–May 6, and the 7-day mean crosses the 61°F threshold around May 6. Cold-water starts are the cheap ones.
Closing — deadline October 13
Hold the cover until October 6, then winterize by October 13, a week ahead of the October 20 freeze normal. Late and cold beats early and warm.
Estimated water temperature by month
Monthly averages of the site's water model run on Albuquerque's own normals — the shape of a typical year, not a forecast. The widget above shows where the current year actually sits.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35° | 39° | 45° | 54° | 60° | 70° | 77° | 77° | 72° | 63° | 50° | 38° |
The curve peaks near 78°F — comfortable-water months here usually involve a heater or a solar cover.
Every station tells its own story: compare this curve with Santa Fe's pool season and Las Cruces's — neighboring normals stations can shift the windows by a week or more. The full ranking lives on the New Mexico season index.
Albuquerque pool season FAQ
When should I open my pool in Albuquerque, NM?
The site model recommends opening by April 22 — about two weeks before Albuquerque'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 Albuquerque opening guide.
When should I close my pool in Albuquerque?
Winterize by October 13. The model holds the deadline a week ahead of Albuquerque's NOAA 50% first-freeze date, so the plumbing is protected before the first hard night. The full sequence is in the Albuquerque closing guide.
How long is the swim season in Albuquerque?
Albuquerque averages 153 days a year with normal highs of 80°F or better — right on the statewide median. The New Mexico season index ranks all 4 covered cities by the same metric.
How warm does pool water get in Albuquerque?
An unheated pool near Albuquerque typically peaks around 78°F in high summer and bottoms out near 34°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 Albuquerque hits the closing window
Data: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals via Rio Grande Nature Center (2.7 mi); live outlook by Open-Meteo. Attribution: sources · assumptions: methodology.