Columbia, MO weather in October
Expect mild weather with some rain in Columbia in October, with highs near 68°F and lows near 47°F. Rain falls on about 9 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 68°F
- Normal low
- 47°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 3.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 74°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 52°F | 42°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 27% | 30% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:05 am / 6:52 pm | 7:35 am / 6:10 pm |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.6 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 am49°Fdew point 44°F
- 9 am56°Fdew point 46°F
- Noon63°Fdew point 46°F
- 3 pm65°Fdew point 46°F
- 6 pm59°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 pm55°Fdew point 45°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Columbia Rgnl Airport (11 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 63% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 32%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below2 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 3.5 in; a dry October brings about 1.6 in and a wet one about 4.0 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, 1991-20202016: average high 73°F
- Coolest October2009: average high 59°F
- Wettest October2009: 11.0 in
- Driest October2010: 0.4 in
- Highest reading94°F (October 3, 2006)
- Lowest reading22°F (October 25, 2013)
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 | 80°F | 68°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 58°F | 47°F | 36°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 9 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 11 | 14 | 6 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.2 h | 10.1 h |
Highs change by -12°F from September and -13°F into November.
How Columbia ranks in October
- Normal high214th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 7 in Missouri
- Wet days255th driest of 378
- Comfortable days115th most of 340
What to pack for Columbia in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
Frost in October
The first fall frost typically comes around Oct 31; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Oct 17. All frost dates for Columbia.
Heating and cooling
October has 267 heating degree days and 34 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Columbia in October?
The normal high is 68°F and the normal low is 47°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 22°F (most recently on October 25, 2013).
Does it rain a lot in Columbia in October?
About 9 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.5 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (11.0 in); the driest was in 2010 (0.4 in).
Is October a good time to visit Columbia?
October ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Columbia (63 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Columbia Rgnl Airport (USW00003945), 11 mi SE of the city center, 893 ft (186 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Columbia U Of M (USC00231801), 1.0 mi SE of the city center, 770 ft (63 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Columbia Regional Airport (724450-03945), 11 mi SE of the city center, 893 ft (186 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.