Pool closing · State guide
When to Close Your Pool in Louisiana
Last updated: July 15, 2026 · 13 cities covered
Closing deadlines across Louisiana stretch about 24 days: Monroe needs the cover on first (November 8), New Orleans last (December 2), and the statewide median deadline is November 19.
Each deadline is the model's two-clock compromise — ten days after the water leaves the algae zone, capped a week before the local 50% first-freeze date. City pages carry the live widget that flags early-freeze years and the full winterizing sequence.
| City | Window opens | Close by | First freeze (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | Nov 3 | Nov 13 | Nov 27 |
| Baton Rouge | Nov 6 | Nov 16 | Nov 26 |
| Hammond | Nov 4 | Nov 12 | Nov 19 |
| Houma | Nov 18 | Nov 28 | Dec 17 |
| Kenner | Nov 20 | Nov 30 | Dec 31 |
| Lafayette | Nov 10 | Nov 20 | Nov 28 |
| Lake Charles | Nov 16 | Nov 26 | Dec 7 |
| Mandeville | Nov 5 | Nov 11 | Nov 18 |
| Metairie | Nov 20 | Nov 30 | Dec 31 |
| Monroe | Oct 29 | Nov 8 | Nov 15 |
| New Orleans | Nov 22 | Dec 2 | Jan 5 |
| Shreveport | Nov 1 | Nov 11 | Nov 18 |
| Slidell | Nov 9 | Nov 19 | Dec 1 |
Dates are typical-year model outputs, not forecasts — each city guide carries the live widget that tracks the current year against them.
How to use these dates
Each "close by" deadline is the model's two-clock compromise for that city: ten days after its 7-day mean temperature falls back through 61°F (water goes algae-dormant soon after), but never later than a week before its 50% first-freeze date from the NOAA 1991–2020 normals. Closing inside the window seals cold, stable water under the cover; closing early seals a warm algae incubator instead.
Treat the dates as typical-year guidance, not forecasts. An early cold snap moves the real deadline — each city guide runs a live water-temperature widget that flags a 32°F night inside the 10-day forecast as urgent, and carries the full winterizing checklist in working order.