Gulf Shores, AL weather in October
October in Gulf Shores: warm and often humid, with some rain. Highs 81°F, lows 54°F, about 7 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 81°F
- Normal low
- 54°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 4.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 12
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 85°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 60°F | 49°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 27% | 24% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:44 am / 6:36 pm | 7:04 am / 6:04 pm |
| Daylight | 11.9 h | 11.0 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical October day
- 6 am63°Fdew point 59°F
- 9 am73°Fdew point 61°F
- Noon78°Fdew point 61°F
- 3 pm78°Fdew point 61°F
- 6 pm71°Fdew point 62°F
- 9 pm67°Fdew point 61°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Pensacola Forest Sherman NAS (24 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 65% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 23%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F9 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph15 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more12 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in October
Normal precipitation is 4.4 in; a dry October brings about 2.3 in and a wet one about 5.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202016: average high 84°F
- Coolest October2001: average high 77°F
- Wettest October2017: 13.8 in
- Driest October2016: 0.1 in
- Highest reading96°F (October 3, 2019)
- Lowest reading33°F (October 29, 2008)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
October compared with September and November
| September | October | November | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 88°F | 81°F | 71°F |
| Normal low | 65°F | 54°F | 44°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 7 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 9 | 14 |
| Daylight | 12.3 h | 11.4 h | 10.6 h |
Highs change by -7°F from September and -10°F into November.
How Gulf Shores ranks in October
- Normal high82nd warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 6 in Alabama
- Wet days146th driest of 378
- Comfortable days241st most of 340
What to pack for Gulf Shores in October
- Layers – afternoons near 81°F but nights near 54°F
- A swimsuit – about 15 beach days
Heating and cooling
October has 62 heating degree days and 136 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Gulf Shores in October?
The normal high is 81°F and the normal low is 54°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest October reading was 96°F (October 3, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Gulf Shores in October?
About 7 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.4 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (13.8 in); the driest was in 2016 (0.2 in).
Is October a good time to visit Gulf Shores?
October ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Gulf Shores (57 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are March, April and November.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and rain: Fairhope 2 Ne (USC00012813), 23 mi NNW of the city center, 23 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Dauphin Is #2 (USC00012172), 23 mi W of the city center, 8 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Pensacola Forest Sherman NAS (USW00003855), 24 mi ENE of the city center, 28 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pensacola Rgnl Airport (USW00013899), 35 mi ENE of the city center, 112 ft (105 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Pensacola NAS (722225-03855), 24 mi ENE of the city center, 28 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.