Ketchikan, AK weather in October
In October, Ketchikan sees highs around 51°F and lows around 41°F: chilly, with rain on most days. Expect about 23 wet days. Pack rain gear.
- Normal high
- 51°F
- Normal low
- 41°F
- Wet days
- 23
- 18.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 55°F | 47°F |
| Normal low | 45°F | 38°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 72% | 76% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:49 am / 6:22 pm | 7:49 am / 5:10 pm |
| Daylight | 11.6 h | 9.3 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 am45°Fdew point 42°F
- 9 am47°Fdew point 43°F
- Noon49°Fdew point 43°F
- 3 pm49°Fdew point 43°F
- 6 pm46°Fdew point 42°F
- 9 pm45°Fdew point 42°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Ketchikan Intl Airport (3 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 snow23 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in19 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below3 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in October
Normal precipitation is 18.4 in; a dry October brings about 12.9 in and a wet one about 23.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 11 days bring half an inch or more, and about 7 an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202015: average high 55°F
- Coolest October1991: average high 48°F
- Wettest October2010: 34.8 in
- Driest October2016: 7.4 in
- Highest reading63°F (October 2, 2020)
- Lowest reading20°F (October 30, 2012)
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 | 59°F | 51°F | 44°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 41°F | 36°F |
| Wet days | 20 | 23 | 24 |
| Comfortable days | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 12.7 h | 10.4 h | 8.4 h |
Highs change by -8°F from September and -7°F into November.
How Ketchikan ranks in October
- Normal high369th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days374th driest of 378
- Comfortable days335th most of 340
What to pack for Ketchikan in October
- A warm jacket – lows near 41°F, highs near 51°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 23 days
Frost in October
The first fall frost typically comes around Oct 23; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Oct 3. All frost dates for Ketchikan.
Heating and cooling
October has 583 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 8% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Ketchikan in October?
The normal high is 51°F and the normal low is 41°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 20°F (October 30, 2012).
Does it rain a lot in Ketchikan in October?
About 23 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 18.4 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2010 (34.8 in); the driest was in 2016 (7.4 in).
Is October a good time to visit Ketchikan?
October ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Ketchikan (33 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Ketchikan Intl Airport (USW00025325), 2.8 mi WNW of the city center, 76 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Annette Island Airport (USW00025308), 21 mi S of the city center, 109 ft (69 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Ketchikan Intl Airport (703950-25325), 3.2 mi WNW of the city center, 84 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).