Elgin, IL weather in October
Elgin is cool in October, with frequent rain: highs average 63°F and nights drop to about 41°F. Expect about 11 wet days.
- Normal high
- 63°F
- Normal low
- 41°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 70°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 36°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:50 am / 6:35 pm | 7:24 am / 5:48 pm |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical October day
- 6 am45°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 am53°Fdew point 44°F
- Noon59°Fdew point 43°F
- 3 pm60°Fdew point 42°F
- 6 pm54°Fdew point 42°F
- 9 pm50°Fdew point 42°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from West Chicago Dupage Airport (9 mi away); average wind 9 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F11 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below5 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 3.3 in; a dry October brings about 1.8 in and a wet one about 5.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202007: average high 69°F
- Coolest October2009: average high 55°F
- Wettest October2017: 7.8 in
- Driest October2005: 0.8 in
- Highest reading89°F (October 10, 2010)
- Lowest reading21°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 | 76°F | 63°F | 48°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 41°F | 30°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 11 | 2 |
| Daylight | 12.5 h | 11.1 h | 9.8 h |
Highs change by -13°F from September and -15°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Drier: Carmel, IN182 mi · high 65°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Sister Bay, WI225 mi · high 55°F · 12 wet days
How Elgin ranks in October
- Normal high289th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days312th driest of 378
- Comfortable days207th most of 340
What to pack for Elgin in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Frost in October
The first fall frost typically comes around Oct 18; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Oct 3. All frost dates for Elgin.
Heating and cooling
October has 418 heating degree days and 9 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Elgin in October?
The normal high is 63°F and the normal low is 41°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 21°F (most recently on October 20, 1992).
Does it rain a lot in Elgin in October?
About 11 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.3 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (7.8 in); the driest was in 2005 (0.8 in).
Is October a good time to visit Elgin?
October ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Elgin (58 out of 100). It has about 11 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Elgin (USC00112736), 1.8 mi N of the city center, 763 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: West Chicago Dupage Airport (USW00094892), 8.7 mi SSE of the city center, 754 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Chicago O'hare International Airport (725300-94846), 19 mi ESE of the city center, 672 ft (68 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).