Tampa, FL weather in October
October in Tampa: warm and oppressively humid, with some rain. Highs 86°F, lows 69°F, rain on about 7 days.
- Normal high
- 86°F
- Normal low
- 69°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 2.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 19
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 89°F | 82°F |
| Normal low | 73°F | 65°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 18% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:22 am / 7:16 pm | 7:40 am / 6:46 pm |
| Daylight | 11.9 h | 11.1 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 am70°Fdew point 66°F
- 9 am76°Fdew point 66°F
- Noon82°Fdew point 66°F
- 3 pm83°Fdew point 65°F
- 6 pm79°Fdew point 65°F
- 9 pm75°Fdew point 66°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Tampa Intl Airport (5 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 29% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 42%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F3 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph23 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more4 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more19 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in4 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in October
Normal precipitation is 2.3 in; a dry October brings about 1.2 in and a wet one about 3.2 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, 1991-20202020: average high 89°F
- Coolest October2011: average high 82°F
- Wettest October2019: 6.9 in
- Driest October2010: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading95°F (October 8, 2020)
- Lowest reading42°F (October 29, 2008)
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 | 90°F | 86°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 75°F | 69°F | 61°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 7 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| Daylight | 12.3 h | 11.5 h | 10.8 h |
Highs change by -4°F from September and -7°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Cooler: St. Simons Island, GA229 mi · high 79°F · 8 wet days
How Tampa ranks in October
- Normal high27th warmest of 378 cities; 9th of 23 in Florida
- Wet days161st driest of 378
- Comfortable days312th most of 340
What to pack for Tampa in October
- Light, breathable clothing – highs near 86°F and about 19 muggy days
- A swimsuit – about 23 beach days
Heating and cooling
October has 3 heating degree days and 388 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 9% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Tampa in October?
The normal high is 86°F and the normal low is 69°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest October reading was 95°F (October 8, 2020).
Does it rain a lot in Tampa in October?
About 7 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.3 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2019 (6.9 in); the driest was in 2010, with no measurable precipitation.
Is October a good time to visit Tampa?
October ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Tampa (48 out of 100). It has about 3 comfortable days and about 4 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are January, February and March.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Tampa Intl Airport (USW00012842), 5.1 mi WNW of the city center, 19 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Tampa International Airport (722110-12842), 5.1 mi WNW of the city center, 6 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.