Pool season · Washington
Federal Way Pool Season: the Year on One Bar
Last updated: July 25, 2026 · dates · water temp
This is the one-page view of Federal Way'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.
Federal Way, WA — 0 swim days a yearThe bar compresses Federal Way's whole pool year into one lane rope: gray floats for the off-season, hollow teal for the May 17–June 7 opening window, solid teal for swim weeks, hollow amber for the closing stretch that ends September 29. Wherever the today marker sits, the nearest color change is your next appointment.
The Federal Way pool calendar
Opening — target May 24
Open by May 24 — a two-week head start on the June 7 crossing keeps startup chemistry small and beats the local service rush.
Closing — deadline September 29
The window opens September 19 once water leaves the algae zone; the model deadline is September 29, a week ahead of the November 14 freeze normal.
Estimated water temperature by month
This is Federal Way'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42° | 43° | 46° | 50° | 55° | 60° | 65° | 68° | 65° | 58° | 50° | 44° |
The curve peaks near 68°F — comfortable-water months here usually involve a heater or a solar cover.
Every station tells its own story: compare this curve with Everett's pool season and Kennewick's — neighboring normals stations can shift the windows by a week or more. The full ranking lives on the Washington season index.
Federal Way pool season FAQ
When should I open my pool in Federal Way, WA?
Target May 24. That date backs off two weeks from the day Federal Way's 7-day mean temperature reaches 61°F, so you start up in cold, algae-resistant water. Work the full checklist in the Federal Way opening guide.
When should I close my pool in Federal Way?
The closing deadline is September 29 — late enough that the water has cooled out of the algae zone, early enough to beat Federal Way's first-freeze normal by about a week. See the Federal Way closing guide for the winterizing steps.
How long is the swim season in Federal Way?
Federal Way averages 0 days a year with normal highs of 80°F or better — right on the statewide median. The Washington season index ranks all 21 covered cities by the same metric.
How warm does pool water get in Federal Way?
An unheated pool near Federal Way typically peaks around 68°F in high summer and bottoms out near 42°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 Federal Way hits the closing window
Data: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals via Tacoma #1 (5.6 mi); live outlook by Open-Meteo. Attribution: sources · assumptions: methodology.