Philadelphia, PA weather in October
Expect mild weather with some rain in Philadelphia in October, with highs near 67°F and lows near 49°F. Rain falls on about 9 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 67°F
- Normal low
- 49°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 | 73°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 55°F | 44°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 29% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:57 am / 6:43 pm | 7:28 am / 5:59 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 am53°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 am58°Fdew point 48°F
- Noon64°Fdew point 47°F
- 3 pm66°Fdew point 46°F
- 6 pm62°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 pm58°Fdew point 48°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Philadelphia Intl Airport (7 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 60% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 36%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 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 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 3.5 in; a dry October brings about 1.9 in and a wet one about 4.4 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 73°F
- Coolest October2004: average high 64°F
- Wettest October2005: 8.7 in
- Driest October2001: 0.8 in
- Highest reading95°F (October 2, 2019)
- Lowest reading31°F (October 31, 2011)
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 | 79°F | 67°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 61°F | 49°F | 39°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 12 | 15 | 5 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.1 h | 10.0 h |
Highs change by -12°F from September and -11°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Chesapeake, VA225 mi · high 72°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Albany, NY200 mi · high 62°F · 11 wet days
How Philadelphia ranks in October
- Normal high221st warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in Pennsylvania
- Wet days252nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days93rd most of 340
What to pack for Philadelphia in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
Heating and cooling
October has 237 heating degree days and 26 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Philadelphia in October?
The normal high is 67°F and the normal low is 49°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 31°F (most recently on October 31, 2011).
Does it rain a lot in Philadelphia 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 2005 (8.7 in); the driest was in 2001 (0.8 in).
Is October a good time to visit Philadelphia?
October ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Philadelphia (65 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Philadelphia Intl Airport (USW00013739), 6.8 mi SSW of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Phila Franklin Inst (USC00366886), 0.6 mi NW of the city center, 60 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Philadelphia Ne Airport (USW00094732), 12 mi NE of the city center, 100 ft (65 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Philadelphia International Airport (724080-13739), 6.4 mi SSW of the city center, 7 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.