Highlands Ranch, CO weather in October
October in Highlands Ranch: cool, with some rain and some snow. Highs 64°F, lows 31°F, about 6 wet days and about 3.7 in of snow. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 64°F
- Normal low
- 31°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 1.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 3.7 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 70°F | 58°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 27°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 20% | 18% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:56 am / 6:42 pm | 7:27 am / 5:59 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 am41°Fdew point 27°F
- 9 am52°Fdew point 29°F
- Noon60°Fdew point 27°F
- 3 pm62°Fdew point 27°F
- 6 pm53°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 pm47°Fdew point 30°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Denver Centennial Airport (7 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 46% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 38%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 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 in4 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below19 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in October
Normal precipitation is 1.5 in; a dry October brings about 0.8 in and a wet one about 1.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 3.7 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202016: average high 71°F
- Coolest October2009: average high 53°F
- Wettest October2009: 6.2 in
- Driest October2001: 0.2 in
- Highest reading87°F (October 5, 1997)
- Lowest reading-3°F (October 29, 1993)
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 | 76°F | 64°F | 51°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 31°F | 23°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 15 | 6 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.2 h | 10.0 h |
Highs change by -12°F from September and -13°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Pueblo, CO92 mi · high 70°F · 4 wet days
- Cooler: Breckenridge, CO57 mi · high 50°F · 9 wet days
How Highlands Ranch ranks in October
- Normal high271st warmest of 378 cities; 10th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days107th driest of 378
- Comfortable days75th most of 340
What to pack for Highlands Ranch in October
- A warm jacket – lows near 31°F, highs near 64°F
- Layers – afternoons near 64°F but nights near 31°F
- Waterproof boots – about 3.7 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 19 freezing nights
Frost in October
The first fall frost typically comes around Oct 8; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Sep 25. All frost dates for Highlands Ranch.
Heating and cooling
October has 546 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 Highlands Ranch in October?
The normal high is 64°F and the normal low is 31°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was -3°F (October 29, 1993).
Does it rain a lot in Highlands Ranch in October?
About 6 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.5 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (6.2 in); the driest was in 2001 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Highlands Ranch in October?
Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 3.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is October a good time to visit Highlands Ranch?
October ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Highlands Ranch (65 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature: Strontia Springs Dam (USC00058022), 12 mi SW of the city center, 5,840 ft (145 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Kassler (USC00054452), 8.0 mi WSW of the city center, 5,587 ft (108 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Denver Centennial Airport (USW00093067), 6.5 mi E of the city center, 5,883 ft (188 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Aurora Buckley Fld ANGB (USW00023036), 16 mi NE of the city center, 5,663 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Buckley Air Force Base (724695-23036), 16 mi NE of the city center, 5,663 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.