Pool season · State index
Virginia Pool Season Calendar
Last updated: July 15, 2026 · 16 cities covered
Both halves of the pool year for all 16 covered Virginia cities. The median calendar runs April 10 to October 25. Every row links to a one-page season overview with the live water-temperature model; the opening and closing hubs carry the full checklists.
| City | Open by | Close by | 80°F+ days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | Apr 10 | Oct 25 | 112 |
| Arlington | Apr 10 | Oct 25 | 112 |
| Charlottesville | Apr 14 | Oct 19 | 100 |
| Chesapeake | Mar 31 | Nov 5 | 148 |
| Fredericksburg | Apr 18 | Oct 18 | 108 |
| Hampton | Apr 11 | Oct 26 | 102 |
| Lynchburg | Apr 25 | Oct 13 | 94 |
| Newport News | Apr 10 | Oct 26 | 114 |
| Norfolk | Apr 7 | Oct 28 | 105 |
| Portsmouth | Apr 7 | Oct 28 | 105 |
| Richmond | Apr 10 | Oct 22 | 116 |
| Roanoke | Apr 12 | Oct 20 | 110 |
| Suffolk | Apr 10 | Oct 26 | 104 |
| Virginia Beach | Mar 31 | Nov 5 | 148 |
| Williamsburg | Apr 9 | Oct 26 | 111 |
| Winchester | Apr 26 | Oct 10 | 92 |
What the columns mean
"Open by" is the recommended spring date — two weeks before the city's 7-day mean temperature crosses 61°F, the model's proxy for water approaching the 65°F algae-growth zone. "Close by" is the fall deadline — ten days after the water leaves that zone, capped a week ahead of the local 50% first-freeze date. "80°F+ days" counts days whose normal high reaches 80°F: the length of the true warm-swim season, and the fairest single number for comparing Virginia cities against each other.
Every figure comes from each city's own NOAA 1991–2020 normals station (named in its guide's footer), so neighboring cities can legitimately differ by a few days. The season overview linked from each row adds the live water-temperature model and the full-year season bar; the state hubs above carry the step-by-step checklists.