Grand Rapids, MI weather in October
Grand Rapids is cool in October, with frequent rain: highs average 61°F and nights drop to about 42°F. Expect about 13 wet days.
- Normal high
- 61°F
- Normal low
- 42°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 4.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 68°F | 54°F |
| Normal low | 47°F | 38°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 38% | 41% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:40 am / 7:24 pm | 8:15 am / 6:36 pm |
| Daylight | 11.7 h | 10.3 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 am46°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 am50°Fdew point 43°F
- Noon56°Fdew point 43°F
- 3 pm58°Fdew point 43°F
- 6 pm54°Fdew point 42°F
- 9 pm50°Fdew point 42°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Grand Rapids (8 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 32% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 58%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F9 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 snow13 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below4 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 2.6 in and a wet one about 5.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.3 in.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202007: average high 67°F
- Coolest October2002: average high 56°F
- Wettest October2017: 9.7 in
- Driest October2005: 0.7 in
- Highest reading88°F (October 8, 2007)
- Lowest reading24°F (October 13, 1993)
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 | 74°F | 61°F | 47°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 42°F | 33°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 13 | 13 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 9 | 2 |
| Daylight | 12.5 h | 11.0 h | 9.7 h |
Highs change by -13°F from September and -14°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Dayton, OH234 mi · high 66°F · 9 wet days
- Drier: Joliet, IL158 mi · high 63°F · 10 wet days
- Cooler: Sister Bay, WI170 mi · high 55°F · 12 wet days
How Grand Rapids ranks in October
- Normal high310th warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days343rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days233rd most of 340
What to pack for Grand Rapids in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 13 days
Frost in October
The first fall frost typically comes around Oct 20; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Oct 4. All frost dates for Grand Rapids.
Heating and cooling
October has 428 heating degree days and 8 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Grand Rapids in October?
The normal high is 61°F and the normal low is 42°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 24°F (October 13, 1993).
Does it rain a lot in Grand Rapids in October?
About 13 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 2017 (9.7 in); the driest was in 2005 (0.7 in).
Does it snow in Grand Rapids in October?
Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 0.3 in.
Is October a good time to visit Grand Rapids?
October ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Grand Rapids (55 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Grand Rapids (USW00094860), 7.9 mi SE of the city center, 778 ft (138 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Lansing Capital City Airport (USW00014836), 57 mi ESE of the city center, 841 ft (201 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Gerald R Ford International Airport (726350-94860), 9.2 mi SE of the city center, 788 ft (148 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.