Wilmington, DE weather in October
In October, Wilmington sees highs around 67°F and lows around 47°F: mild, with some rain. Expect about 9 wet days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 67°F
- Normal low
- 47°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 3.7 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 73°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 42°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 28% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:58 am / 6:45 pm | 7:29 am / 6:01 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical October day
- 6 am53°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 am58°Fdew point 48°F
- Noon64°Fdew point 47°F
- 3 pm66°Fdew point 46°F
- 6 pm62°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 pm58°Fdew point 48°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Philadelphia Intl Airport (19 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 64% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 31%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph2 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 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 3.7 in; a dry October brings about 2.3 in and a wet one about 5.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 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 74°F
- Coolest October2002: average high 63°F
- Wettest October1995: 8.0 in
- Driest October2000: 0.08 in
- Highest reading98°F (October 2, 2019)
- Lowest reading28°F (October 31, 2011)
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 | 67°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 59°F | 47°F | 37°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 13 | 14 | 5 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.1 h | 10.0 h |
Highs change by -12°F from September and -11°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Chesapeake, VA206 mi · high 72°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Albany, NY221 mi · high 62°F · 11 wet days
How Wilmington ranks in October
- Normal high222nd warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 2 in Delaware
- Wet days239th driest of 378
- Comfortable days101st most of 340
What to pack for Wilmington in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
Heating and cooling
October has 266 heating degree days and 23 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Wilmington in October?
The normal high is 67°F and the normal low is 47°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 28°F (October 31, 2011).
Does it rain a lot in Wilmington in October?
About 9 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.7 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 1995 (8.0 in); the driest was in 2000 (0.08 in).
Is October a good time to visit Wilmington?
October ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Wilmington (64 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Wilmington New Castle Co Airport (USW00013781), 5.8 mi SSW of the city center, 79 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Wilmington Porter Rsch (USC00079605), 1.9 mi N of the city center, 270 ft (179 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Philadelphia Intl Airport (USW00013739), 19 mi ENE of the city center, 10 ft (81 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Millville Muni Airport (USW00013735), 37 mi SE of the city center, 70 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Philadelphia International Airport (724080-13739), 19 mi ENE of the city center, 7 ft (84 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.