Boston, MA weather in October
Expect cool weather with frequent rain in Boston in October, with highs near 62°F and lows near 48°F. Rain falls on about 11 days.
- Normal high
- 62°F
- Normal low
- 48°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 67°F | 57°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 43°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:41 am / 6:26 pm | 7:16 am / 5:39 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical October day
- 6 am51°Fdew point 44°F
- 9 am55°Fdew point 44°F
- Noon60°Fdew point 44°F
- 3 pm60°Fdew point 44°F
- 6 pm57°Fdew point 44°F
- 9 pm54°Fdew point 44°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Boston Logan Intl Airport (3 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 31% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 51%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F10 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph1 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 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 and snow in October
Normal precipitation is 4.0 in; a dry October brings about 1.9 in and a wet one about 5.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.2 in.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202017: average high 69°F
- Coolest October2009: average high 59°F
- Wettest October1996: 10.7 in
- Driest October1994: 0.4 in
- Highest reading87°F (October 9, 2011)
- Lowest reading28°F (October 31, 2020)
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 | 73°F | 62°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 58°F | 48°F | 38°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 15 | 10 | 3 |
| Daylight | 12.5 h | 11.1 h | 9.8 h |
Highs change by -11°F from September and -10°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Cooler: Stowe, VT167 mi · high 56°F · 15 wet days
How Boston ranks in October
- Normal high295th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 9 in Massachusetts
- Wet days300th driest of 378
- Comfortable days217th most of 340
What to pack for Boston in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Heating and cooling
October has 326 heating degree days and 9 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Boston in October?
The normal high is 62°F and the normal low is 48°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 28°F (October 31, 2020).
Does it rain a lot in Boston in October?
About 11 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.0 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (10.7 in); the driest was in 1994 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Boston in October?
Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 0.2 in.
Is October a good time to visit Boston?
October ranks 6th of 12 months on our comfort score for Boston (58 out of 100). It has about 10 comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Boston Logan Intl Airport (USW00014739), 2.5 mi E of the city center, 12 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Hingham (USC00193624), 12 mi SE of the city center, 35 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Gen E L Logan International Airport (725090-14739), 2.5 mi E of the city center, 11 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.