Hilton Head Island, SC weather in October
Hilton Head Island is mild and often humid in October, with some rain: highs average 78°F and nights drop to about 59°F. Expect about 8 wet days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 78°F
- Normal low
- 59°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 3.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 10
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 82°F | 74°F |
| Normal low | 65°F | 53°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 29% | 26% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:17 am / 7:08 pm | 7:39 am / 6:33 pm |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.9 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 am62°Fdew point 58°F
- 9 am68°Fdew point 60°F
- Noon75°Fdew point 59°F
- 3 pm77°Fdew point 59°F
- 6 pm71°Fdew point 61°F
- 9 pm66°Fdew point 60°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Beaufort MCAS (19 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 47% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 39%.
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 mph13 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more10 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in4 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in October
Normal precipitation is 3.8 in; a dry October brings about 1.8 in and a wet one about 4.5 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, 1991-20202019: average high 83°F
- Coolest October2011: average high 76°F
- Wettest October1994: 20.5 in
- Driest October1991: 0.5 in
- Highest reading93°F (October 4, 2019)
- Lowest reading37°F (October 29, 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 | 86°F | 78°F | 69°F |
| Normal low | 70°F | 59°F | 48°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 12 | 15 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.4 h | 10.5 h |
Highs change by -8°F from September and -9°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Deltona, FL231 mi · high 84°F · 9 wet days
- Cooler: Sandy Springs, GA241 mi · high 73°F · 9 wet days
How Hilton Head Island ranks in October
- Normal high127th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 5 in South Carolina
- Wet days218th driest of 378
- Comfortable days178th most of 340
What to pack for Hilton Head Island in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
- A swimsuit – about 13 beach days
Heating and cooling
October has 45 heating degree days and 155 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Hilton Head Island in October?
The normal high is 78°F and the normal low is 59°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest October reading was 93°F (most recently on October 4, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Hilton Head Island in October?
About 8 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.8 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 1994 (20.5 in); the driest was in 1991 (0.5 in).
Is October a good time to visit Hilton Head Island?
October ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Hilton Head Island (62 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are March and April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Beaufort MCAS (USW00093831), 19 mi N of the city center, 37 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Beaufort MCAS (722085-93831), 19 mi N of the city center, 37 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: snowfall and snow depth (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).