Pool season · Virginia
Roanoke Pool Season: the Year on One Bar
Last updated: July 25, 2026 · dates · water temp
This is the one-page view of Roanoke'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.
Roanoke, VA — 110 swim days a yearEach dot on the bar is one week of Roanoke'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 5–April 26), solid teal is swim season, and hollow amber is the closing window ending October 20. The black marker is today — its position against the colors is the entire executive summary.
The Roanoke pool calendar
Opening — target April 12
Open by April 12 — a two-week head start on the April 26 crossing keeps startup chemistry small and beats the local service rush.
Closing — deadline October 20
The window opens October 10 once water leaves the algae zone; the model deadline is October 20, a week ahead of the November 1 freeze normal.
Estimated water temperature by month
This is Roanoke'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39° | 39° | 45° | 54° | 63° | 70° | 77° | 77° | 73° | 64° | 53° | 44° |
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 Richmond's pool season and Suffolk's — neighboring normals stations can shift the windows by a week or more. The full ranking lives on the Virginia season index.
Roanoke pool season FAQ
When should I open my pool in Roanoke, VA?
The site model recommends opening by April 12 — about two weeks before Roanoke'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 Roanoke opening guide.
When should I close my pool in Roanoke?
Winterize by October 20. The model holds the deadline a week ahead of Roanoke's NOAA 50% first-freeze date, so the plumbing is protected before the first hard night. The full sequence is in the Roanoke closing guide.
How long is the swim season in Roanoke?
Roanoke averages 110 days a year with normal highs of 80°F or better — right on the statewide median. The Virginia season index ranks all 16 covered cities by the same metric.
How warm does pool water get in Roanoke?
An unheated pool near Roanoke typically peaks around 78°F in high summer and bottoms out near 38°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 Roanoke hits the closing window
Data: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals via Roanoke Regional Airport (2.8 mi); live outlook by Open-Meteo. Attribution: sources · assumptions: methodology.