Raleigh, NC weather in October
In October, Raleigh sees highs around 73°F and lows around 51°F: mild and mostly dry. Expect about 6 wet days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 73°F
- Normal low
- 51°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 3.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 3
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 57°F | 45°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 21% | 20% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:09 am / 6:58 pm | 7:35 am / 6:20 pm |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.7 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 am53°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 am61°Fdew point 53°F
- Noon69°Fdew point 52°F
- 3 pm71°Fdew point 51°F
- 6 pm64°Fdew point 53°F
- 9 pm59°Fdew point 53°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (12 mi away); average wind 5 mph; clear or few clouds in 57% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 33%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F17 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more3 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow6 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 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 in October
Normal precipitation is 3.9 in; a dry October brings about 2.4 in and a wet one about 4.8 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, 1991-20202007: average high 79°F
- Coolest October1999: average high 68°F
- Wettest October1995: 11.2 in
- Driest October2000: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading94°F (October 2, 2019)
- Lowest reading30°F (October 26, 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 | 82°F | 73°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 63°F | 51°F | 41°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Comfortable days | 6 | 17 | 11 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.3 h | 10.3 h |
Highs change by -9°F from September and -11°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Columbia, SC183 mi · high 80°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Fayetteville, WV208 mi · high 65°F · 9 wet days
How Raleigh ranks in October
- Normal high177th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days101st driest of 378
- Comfortable days31st most of 340
Heating and cooling
October has 154 heating degree days and 51 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Raleigh in October?
The normal high is 73°F and the normal low is 51°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest October reading was 94°F (October 2, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Raleigh in October?
About 6 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.9 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 1995 (11.2 in); the driest was in 2000, with no measurable precipitation.
Is October a good time to visit Raleigh?
October ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Raleigh (69 out of 100). It has about 17 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Raleigh State Univ (USC00317079), 3.6 mi WNW of the city center, 400 ft (85 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (USW00013722), 12 mi NW of the city center, 416 ft (101 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pope AFB (USW00013714), 46 mi SSW of the city center, 218 ft (97 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Raleigh-Durham International Airport (723060-13722), 12 mi NW of the city center, 395 ft (80 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.