Quick Facts:
| Ave | 10Y | Low (year) | High (year) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HLA | 72.11 | 72.06 | 69.03 (2019) | 75.14 (2016) |
| Highs | 94.77°F | 94.50°F | 91°F (2011, 2018) | 100°F (2015) |
| Lows | 43.62°F | 43.30°F | 31°F (2019) | 53°F (2014, 2015) |
| Precip | 3.21” | 3.39” | 0.07” (2010) | 11.59” (2015) |
October HLAs
This chart shows the trend in temperature averages, 2010-22. The horizontal line is the 10-year average for October.
Copyright © 2023 by Wil C. Fry. Some rights reserved.
October Temperatures
October’s 10-year temperature average is 72.06°F, our sixth-hottest month each year (along with April, it is closest to the annual HLA). October is always cooler than June through September of any year, and is usually cooler than May also (2016 and 2021 being exceptions to the latter). October is usually warmer than April, though there have been a few exceptions. October of 2014 and 2015 were the warmest Octobers on record (tied), but both were beaten by October 2016’s HLA of 75.14°F. I couldn’t find when the coolest October was, but the coolest recent one was in 2019, averaging 69.03°F.
According to a variety of sources I searched, the coldest temperature ever recorded in October was 24°F, on Oct. 31, 1993, but the coldest October day during my 12 years of record-keeping was 31°F on Oct. 31, 2019. The warmest temperature October has ever seen was 100°F, on Oct. 12, 2015. Only three daily record lows occurred during the past 12 years, while twenty-three daily record highs belong to the same period.
October rarely hits the 100°F mark; to my knowledge, Oct. 12, 2015 is the only time that’s ever happened. However, 90-degree days are common — 5.5 such days per October the past 12 years, varying from three (2012, 2018) to nine (2015, 2019). Freezing days in October are as rare as 100-degree days, with only Oct. 31, 2019, dipping to the freezing point in my 12 years of record-keeping.
October Precipitation
This chart shows October’s precipitation, 2010-22.
Copyright © 2023 by Wil C. Fry. Some rights reserved.
Precipitation
Rainfall in October varies nearly as much as September — it can be the wettest month of the year (2015, 2018) or among the driest (2010). So far, there appears to be little pattern. October averages 3.26 inches of rain, the second-wettest (behind May, and barely ahead of September). About half of Octobers see two or more inches of rain, while the other half get fewer than one inch. It’s also the only month to twice see more than 10 inches (2015, 2018) — March, May, and September each did it once.
October averages 6.3 days per month that exhibit precipitation — among the least rainy months, despite the high average rainfall — which means more rain falls per rainy day than in other months.
Trends And Patterns
In the 12 years I’ve been keeping track, October’s temperatures spend consecutive years below average (2011-13 and 2017-20) interspersed with consecutive above-average years (2014-16 and 2021-?). October does not match well with the yearly temperature averages or with other months. October’s rainfall and temperature do not match each other well; the two rainiest Octobers were in both warm and cold years. Further, October’s rainfall does not match the annual rainfall averages.