Washington, DC weather in October
Expect mild weather with some rain in Washington in October, with highs near 69°F and lows near 52°F. Rain falls on about 8 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 69°F
- Normal low
- 52°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 3.7 in total
- Muggy days
- 2
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 75°F | 64°F |
| Normal low | 58°F | 46°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 28% | 27% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:04 am / 6:51 pm | 7:34 am / 6:09 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 am54°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 am59°Fdew point 49°F
- Noon65°Fdew point 49°F
- 3 pm67°Fdew point 48°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 49°F
- 9 pm59°Fdew point 50°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Washington Reagan Airport (3 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 53% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 36%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F16 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 3.7 in; a dry October brings about 2.0 in and a wet one about 5.0 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 76°F
- Coolest October1992: average high 65°F
- Wettest October2005: 9.4 in
- Driest October2000: 0.02 in
- Highest reading98°F (October 2, 2019)
- Lowest reading32°F (October 20, 1992)
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 | 81°F | 69°F | 58°F |
| Normal low | 64°F | 52°F | 42°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 16 | 7 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.2 h | 10.1 h |
Highs change by -12°F from September and -11°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Cooler: Pittsburgh, PA190 mi · high 63°F · 11 wet days
How Washington ranks in October
- Normal high203rd warmest of 378 cities
- Wet days221st driest of 378
- Comfortable days50th most of 340
What to pack for Washington in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
Heating and cooling
October has 175 heating degree days and 45 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Washington in October?
The normal high is 69°F and the normal low is 52°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 32°F (October 20, 1992).
Does it rain a lot in Washington in October?
About 8 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 2005 (9.4 in); the driest was in 2000 (0.02 in).
Is October a good time to visit Washington?
October ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Washington (67 out of 100). It has about 16 comfortable days. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Washington Reagan Airport (USW00013743), 3.2 mi S of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Camp Springs Andrews AFB (USW00013705), 11 mi ESE of the city center, 282 ft (258 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Ronald Reagan Washington Natl Airport (724050-13743), 3.3 mi S of the city center, 13 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.