Air Temperature to Use Your Pool

[Homebrewale]

This was a recent thread on the perfect pool temperature. My question is what does the temperature of the air need to be to use your pool. This is probably dependent on how you use your pool.

My wife will swim laps down to a low air temperature of 60F. She swims her laps at 5:00am before work. On the weekends, she likes to float in a foam chair in the pool with a drink in her hand. The minimum air temperature needs to be above 75F and preferably above 80F. These air temperatures dictate when we close our pool in the fall and when we start using it in the spring. It doesn't matter if the water temperature is 87F. If the air temperatures fall below these minimum temperatures for lap swimming or floating, we don't use the pool.

 

[AndyTN]

Your water temp will be the most important factor. They have outdoor pools at ski resorts because the water is heated. If it is 70 and sunny in Spring, you could easily float for a tan in April if your water is above 80. If the air temp is 85 but your water is still 65, I don't think you will want to float or swim very long.

Dew point will also be a factor when you get out of the pool. Dry Arizona air at 75 is going to feel a lot different than 75 in the South in Spring. If your water is warm enough, you just wrap up in a towel when you get out.

Of course, this is all personal preference. My wife will not touch the pool until the water is 85 or higher. My 6-year-old and I will frequently swim on a warm, sunny day in Spring when the water temp is only 70.

 

[Homebrewale]

Your water temp will be the most important factor. They have outdoor pools at ski resorts because the water is heated. If it is 70 and sunny in Spring, you could easily float for a tan in April if your water is above 80. If the air temp is 85 but your water is still 65, I don't think you will want to float or swim very long.

Dew point will also be a factor when you get out of the pool. Dry Arizona air at 75 is going to feel a lot different than 75 in the South in Spring. If your water is warm enough, you just wrap up in a towel when you get out.

Of course, this is all personal preference. My wife will not touch the pool until the water is 85 or higher. My 6-year-old and I will frequently swim on a warm, sunny day in Spring when the water temp is only 70.

I've floated in 87F water with the air temperature at 70F. It is not fun. My floating has half of my body above the water line. I've been in pools at ski resorts. I'm in the water up to my neck. I'm not going to float in that type of pool with half of my body wet and above the water line. As I mentioned in my original post, it is dependent on how you use your pool. We do not use our pool for submersion purposes where only our head is above the water.

 

[Leebo]

Let’s bounce back to the question at hand please……

 

[Homebrewale]

Sure. Sorry I got a little grumpy. I've still a little sick from my second Covid shot. Nice edits to my posts. I approve.

 

[crimson avenger]

I swam this morning in Chicago. Air temp 32. Pool temp 94.

 

[Mdragger88]

My son & his friend swam this past weekend- pool temp 65 - air temp about the same. I don’t recommend it. They bounced back & forth between the pool & the hot tub for an hour or so. I think it was more for a thrill than actually really wanting to swim (11 yr old boys) & they didn’t think I would say “sure! Go ahead!” As we all donned our jackets. I personally won’t be in until the water is in the upper 70’s & its a hot day.

 

[magiteck]

Generally speaking, I’ll swim at air temp of 70 and water temperature also above 70 as long as the sun is shining.

With water in the 80s, I’ll swim with an air temp in the 60’s.

With water 90+ I’d swim at any air temperature. A hot tub on a 20 degree day is heavenly.

 

[magiteck]

My son & his friend swam this past weekend- pool temp 65 - air temp about the same. I don’t recommend it. They bounced back & forth between the pool & the hot tub for an hour or so. I think it was more for a thrill than actually really wanting to swim (11 yr old boys) & they didn’t think I would say “sure! Go ahead!” As we all donned our jackets. I personally won’t be in until the water is in the upper 70’s & its a hot day.

You lost me at 65 and jackets.

I was working outside today in short sleeves in the lower 50’s.

Although swimming at 65/65 still sounds a little chilly for me.

 

[Katodude]

I think like CSI there needs to be a calculation for perfect combo water/air temp. We will call it the K constant.

K=135 perfect swim constant.

Calculation is .5*airtemp+watertemp=K

What is your K?

 

[keatz85]

At least upper 70s, preferably 80+ for me. Any lower than that and it feels like you shouldn't be swimming (feel cold when you get out, can't comfortably lounge on the pool deck). With that said, I'm a big fan of summer night swims when the water feels better/warmer than the air.

 

[bmoreswim]

Depends on the dewpoint. Dewpoint in the 40's/50's, then closer to 80. Dewpoint in the 60's to 70, then closer to 70. These assume little to no wind.

 

[PoolGate]

I don't like swimming in any air-temp below around mid-80s. This is why we generally do not like swimming in the shoulder months. I can heat the pool to 90 but with air-temps being cold it isn't enjoyable for any of us.