Fairbanks, AK weather in October
Fairbanks is cold in October, with some rain and some snow: highs average 34°F and nights drop to about 18°F. Expect about 10 wet days. Snowfall averages about 8.2 in. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 34°F
- Normal low
- 18°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 0.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.2 in
- snow on the ground 15 days
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 47°F | 21°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 6°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:00 am / 7:20 pm | 9:35 am / 5:33 pm |
| Daylight | 11.3 h | 8.0 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Alaska Time).
A typical October day
- 6 am22°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 am23°Fdew point 19°F
- Noon29°Fdew point 21°F
- 3 pm32°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm28°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 pm25°Fdew point 20°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Fairbanks Intl Airport (5 mi away); average wind 4 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more15 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in October
Normal precipitation is 0.8 in; a dry October brings about 0.5 in and a wet one about 0.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 8.2 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202018: average high 44°F
- Coolest October1996: average high 22°F
- Wettest October2017: 2.4 in
- Driest October2016: 0.02 in
- Highest reading72°F (October 1, 2003)
- Lowest reading-27°F (October 27, 1996)
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 | 55°F | 34°F | 12°F |
| Normal low | 36°F | 18°F | -4°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 13.0 h | 9.7 h | 6.3 h |
Highs change by -21°F from September and -22°F into November.
How Fairbanks ranks in October
- Normal high377th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days275th driest of 378
- Comfortable days328th most of 340
What to pack for Fairbanks in October
- A warm jacket – lows near 18°F, highs near 34°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 15 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
October has 1201 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 9% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fairbanks in October?
The normal high is 34°F and the normal low is 18°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was -27°F (most recently on October 27, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Fairbanks in October?
About 10 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.8 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (2.4 in); the driest was in 2016 (0.02 in).
Does it snow in Fairbanks in October?
Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 8.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 15 days.
Is October a good time to visit Fairbanks?
October ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fairbanks (31 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are June and July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Fairbanks Intl Airport (USW00026411), 5.2 mi WSW of the city center, 432 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Fairbanks International (702610-26411), 5.3 mi WSW of the city center, 430 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).