Dover, DE weather in October
Expect mild weather with some rain in Dover in October, with highs near 69°F and lows near 50°F. Rain falls on about 8 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 69°F
- Normal low
- 50°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 4.1 in total
- Muggy days
- 2
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 74°F | 64°F |
| Normal low | 56°F | 44°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 28% | 25% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:58 am / 6:45 pm | 7:28 am / 6:02 pm |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.6 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical October day
- 6 am52°Fdew point 49°F
- 9 am59°Fdew point 51°F
- Noon65°Fdew point 50°F
- 3 pm65°Fdew point 50°F
- 6 pm60°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 pm56°Fdew point 50°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Dover AFB (4 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 53% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 37%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F16 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph3 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more2 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 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 4.1 in; a dry October brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 5.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202007: average high 75°F
- Coolest October2004: average high 65°F
- Wettest October2005: 9.0 in
- Driest October2000: 0.3 in
- Highest reading94°F (October 2, 2019)
- Lowest reading29°F (October 29, 2001)
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 | 79°F | 69°F | 58°F |
| Normal low | 61°F | 50°F | 39°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 16 | 7 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.2 h | 10.1 h |
Highs change by -10°F from September and -11°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Cooler: Stamford, CT168 mi · high 63°F · 10 wet days
How Dover ranks in October
- Normal high206th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 2 in Delaware
- Wet days210th driest of 378
- Comfortable days49th most of 340
What to pack for Dover in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
Heating and cooling
October has 214 heating degree days and 34 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Dover in October?
The normal high is 69°F and the normal low is 50°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 29°F (most recently on October 29, 2001).
Does it rain a lot in Dover in October?
About 8 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.1 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2005 (9.0 in); the driest was in 2000 (0.3 in).
Is October a good time to visit Dover?
October ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Dover (67 out of 100). It has about 16 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Dover (USC00072730), 1.3 mi SE of the city center, 30 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Dover AFB (USW00013707), 3.5 mi ESE of the city center, 23 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Dover AFB Airport (724088-13707), 3.5 mi ESE of the city center, 28 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.