Fort Collins, CO weather in October
Expect cool weather with some rain and some snow in Fort Collins in October, with highs near 64°F and lows near 36°F. Rain or snow falls on about 6 days. Snowfall averages about 4.1 in. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 64°F
- Normal low
- 36°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 1.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.1 in
- snow on the ground 1 day
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 71°F | 59°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 31°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 21% | 19% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:56 am / 6:43 pm | 7:29 am / 5:58 pm |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.5 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical October day
- 6 am42°Fdew point 28°F
- 9 am52°Fdew point 30°F
- Noon61°Fdew point 28°F
- 3 pm63°Fdew point 27°F
- 6 pm53°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 pm47°Fdew point 29°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Denver Intl Airport (57 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 70% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 25%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 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 snow6 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below9 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more1 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in October
Normal precipitation is 1.3 in; a dry October brings about 0.7 in and a wet one about 1.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 4.1 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202003: average high 73°F
- Coolest October2009: average high 55°F
- Wettest October2005: 3.3 in
- Driest October2003: 0.2 in
- Highest reading88°F (October 16, 1991)
- Lowest reading-3°F (October 27, 2020)
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 | 77°F | 64°F | 53°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 36°F | 26°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 14 | 6 |
| Daylight | 12.5 h | 11.1 h | 9.9 h |
Highs change by -13°F from September and -11°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Pueblo, CO163 mi · high 70°F · 4 wet days
- Cooler: Estes Park, CO27 mi · high 57°F · 7 wet days
How Fort Collins ranks in October
- Normal high260th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days113th driest of 378
- Comfortable days100th most of 340
What to pack for Fort Collins in October
- A warm jacket – lows near 36°F, highs near 64°F
- Layers – afternoons near 64°F but nights near 36°F
- Waterproof boots – about 4.1 in of snow in a typical year
Frost in October
The first fall frost typically comes around Oct 7; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Sep 24. All frost dates for Fort Collins.
Heating and cooling
October has 459 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fort Collins in October?
The normal high is 64°F and the normal low is 36°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was -3°F (October 27, 2020).
Does it rain a lot in Fort Collins in October?
About 6 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.3 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2005 (3.3 in); the driest was in 2003 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Fort Collins in October?
Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 4.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 1 day.
Is October a good time to visit Fort Collins?
October ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fort Collins (66 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Ft Collins (USC00053005), 0.6 mi S of the city center, 5,004 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Denver Intl Airport (USW00003017), 57 mi SSE of the city center, 5,414 ft (410 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Cheyenne (USW00024018), 42 mi NNE of the city center, 6,128 ft (1,124 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Denver International Airport (725650-03017), 56 mi SSE of the city center, 5,404 ft (400 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.