New York City, NY weather in October
New York City is cool in October, with some rain: highs average 65°F and nights drop to about 51°F. Expect about 10 wet days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 65°F
- Normal low
- 51°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 4.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 70°F | 59°F |
| Normal low | 57°F | 46°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 30% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:52 am / 6:38 pm | 7:25 am / 5:53 pm |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.5 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 am55°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 am58°Fdew point 46°F
- Noon62°Fdew point 46°F
- 3 pm64°Fdew point 45°F
- 6 pm61°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 pm59°Fdew point 46°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from New York Laguardia Airport (8 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 56% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 37%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F12 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 more1 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 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 4.4 in; a dry October brings about 2.3 in and a wet one about 5.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202017: average high 71°F
- Coolest October2009: average high 61°F
- Wettest October2005: 16.7 in
- Driest October2013: 0.4 in
- Highest reading93°F (October 2, 2019)
- Lowest reading32°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 | 76°F | 65°F | 54°F |
| Normal low | 62°F | 51°F | 42°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 12 | 4 |
| Daylight | 12.5 h | 11.1 h | 9.9 h |
Highs change by -11°F from September and -11°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Cooler: Worcester, MA156 mi · high 59°F · 12 wet days
How New York City ranks in October
- Normal high257th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 10 in New York
- Wet days269th driest of 378
- Comfortable days154th most of 340
What to pack for New York City in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Heating and cooling
October has 240 heating degree days and 22 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is New York City in October?
The normal high is 65°F and the normal low is 51°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 32°F (October 31, 2020).
Does it rain a lot in New York City in October?
About 10 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.4 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2005 (16.7 in); the driest was in 2013 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in New York City in October?
Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 0.1 in.
Is October a good time to visit New York City?
October ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for New York City (61 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: New York Cntrl Pk Twr (USW00094728), 4.9 mi NNE of the city center, 130 ft (95 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: New York Laguardia Airport (USW00014732), 8.0 mi NE of the city center, 11 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Teterboro Airport (USW00094741), 9.8 mi NNW of the city center, 9 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: La Guardia Airport (725030-14732), 8.0 mi NE of the city center, 10 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.