Traverse City, MI weather in October
Traverse City is cool in October, with rain on most days: highs average 59°F and nights drop to about 41°F. Rain or snow falls on about 16 days. Snowfall averages about 0.5 in. Keep rain gear handy.
- Normal high
- 59°F
- Normal low
- 41°F
- Wet days
- 16
- 3.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 0.5 in
- normal snowfall
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 66°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 36°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 47% | 49% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:40 am / 7:23 pm | 8:19 am / 6:32 pm |
| Daylight | 11.7 h | 10.2 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 am45°Fdew point 40°F
- 9 am49°Fdew point 42°F
- Noon54°Fdew point 41°F
- 3 pm56°Fdew point 41°F
- 6 pm53°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 pm48°Fdew point 41°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Traverse City Cherry Cptl Airport (2 mi away); average wind 7 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F7 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 snow16 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 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 and snow in October
Normal precipitation is 3.6 in; a dry October brings about 2.1 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. Normal snowfall is 0.5 in.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202007: average high 65°F
- Coolest October2009: average high 53°F
- Wettest October1991: 7.1 in
- Driest October2005: 0.9 in
- Highest reading88°F (October 8, 2007)
- Lowest reading22°F (October 23, 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 | 72°F | 59°F | 46°F |
| Normal low | 52°F | 41°F | 32°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 16 | 14 |
| Comfortable days | 15 | 7 | 1 |
| Daylight | 12.5 h | 11.0 h | 9.6 h |
Highs change by -13°F from September and -13°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Chicago, IL226 mi · high 64°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Sister Bay, WI79 mi · high 55°F · 12 wet days
How Traverse City ranks in October
- Normal high335th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days368th driest of 378
- Comfortable days257th most of 340
What to pack for Traverse City in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 16 days
Frost in October
The first fall frost typically comes around Oct 16; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Oct 1. All frost dates for Traverse City.
Heating and cooling
October has 475 heating degree days and 7 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Traverse City in October?
The normal high is 59°F and the normal low is 41°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 22°F (most recently on October 23, 2008).
Does it rain a lot in Traverse City in October?
About 16 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.6 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (7.1 in); the driest was in 2005 (0.9 in).
Does it snow in Traverse City in October?
Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 0.5 in.
Is October a good time to visit Traverse City?
October ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Traverse City (52 out of 100). It has about 7 comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Traverse City Cherry Cptl Airport (USW00014850), 2.4 mi SE of the city center, 618 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: Maple City 1E (USC00205097), 12 mi WNW of the city center, 799 ft (203 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Traverse City Munson (USC00208249), 1.2 mi W of the city center, 635 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Cherry Capital Airport (726387-14850), 3.1 mi ESE of the city center, 608 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).