Thornton, CO weather in October
Expect mild, mostly dry weather with some snow in Thornton in October, with highs near 67°F and lows near 36°F. Rain or snow falls on about 5 days. Snowfall averages about 3.9 in. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 67°F
- Normal low
- 36°F
- Wet days
- 5
- 1.1 in total
- Snowfall
- 3.9 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 73°F | 61°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 31°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 18% | 16% |
| 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 28°F
- 9 am52°Fdew point 29°F
- Noon61°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 Aurora Buckley Fld ANGB (16 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°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 snow5 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 more2 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in October
Normal precipitation is 1.1 in; a dry October brings about 0.5 in and a wet one about 1.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 3.9 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202016: average high 75°F
- Coolest October2009: average high 55°F
- Wettest October2005: 2.6 in
- Driest October2003: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading89°F (October 16, 1991)
- Lowest reading6°F (October 31, 2019)
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 | 80°F | 67°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 36°F | 26°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 11 | 14 | 9 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.1 h | 10.0 h |
Highs change by -13°F from September and -12°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Cooler: Estes Park, CO46 mi · high 57°F · 7 wet days
How Thornton ranks in October
- Normal high225th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days95th driest of 378
- Comfortable days103rd most of 340
What to pack for Thornton in October
- A warm jacket – lows near 36°F, highs near 67°F
- Layers – afternoons near 67°F but nights near 36°F
- Waterproof boots – about 3.9 in of snow in a typical year
Frost in October
The first fall frost typically comes around Oct 11; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Sep 26. All frost dates for Thornton.
Heating and cooling
October has 431 heating degree days and 3 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Thornton in October?
The normal high is 67°F and the normal low is 36°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 6°F (most recently on October 31, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Thornton in October?
About 5 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.1 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2005 (2.6 in); the driest was in 2003, with no measurable precipitation.
Does it snow in Thornton in October?
Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 3.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is October a good time to visit Thornton?
October ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Thornton (65 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, snowfall and snow depth: Denver-Stapleton (USW00023062), 9.1 mi SE of the city center, 5,286 ft (61 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain and frost dates: Northglenn (USC00055984), 3.1 mi NW of the city center, 5,407 ft (60 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Aurora Buckley Fld ANGB (USW00023036), 16 mi SE of the city center, 5,663 ft (316 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Denver International Airport (725650-03017), 17 mi E of the city center, 5,404 ft (57 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.