Knoxville, TN weather in October
October in Knoxville: mild, with some rain. Highs 72°F, lows 46°F, about 8 days with rain. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 72°F
- Normal low
- 46°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 3.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 39°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 27% | 29% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:30 am / 7:19 pm | 7:57 am / 6:41 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 am52°Fdew point 49°F
- 9 am57°Fdew point 51°F
- Noon66°Fdew point 51°F
- 3 pm70°Fdew point 50°F
- 6 pm66°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 pm59°Fdew point 51°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Airport (11 mi away); average wind 5 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F18 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 snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 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 3.0 in; a dry October brings about 1.5 in and a wet one about 4.2 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 78°F
- Coolest October2004: average high 66°F
- Wettest October2020: 6.6 in
- Driest October2000: 0.07 in
- Highest reading95°F (October 5, 2019)
- Lowest reading26°F (October 31, 2017)
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 | 83°F | 72°F | 61°F |
| Normal low | 59°F | 46°F | 35°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 8 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 6 | 18 | 10 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.3 h | 10.3 h |
Highs change by -11°F from September and -11°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Augusta, GA208 mi · high 79°F · 6 wet days
- Cooler: Fayetteville, WV212 mi · high 65°F · 9 wet days
How Knoxville ranks in October
- Normal high181st warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 7 in Tennessee
- Wet days224th driest of 378
- Comfortable days24th most of 340
What to pack for Knoxville in October
- Layers – afternoons near 72°F but nights near 46°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
Frost in October
The first fall frost typically comes around Oct 28; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Oct 13. All frost dates for Knoxville.
Heating and cooling
October has 219 heating degree days and 34 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Knoxville in October?
The normal high is 72°F and the normal low is 46°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest October reading was 95°F (most recently on October 5, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Knoxville in October?
About 8 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.1 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2020 (6.6 in); the driest was in 2000 (0.07 in).
Is October a good time to visit Knoxville?
October ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Knoxville (70 out of 100). It has about 18 comfortable days. The best months are April and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Knoxville Exp Stn (USC00404946), 4.8 mi SSW of the city center, 830 ft (69 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Airport (USW00013891), 11 mi SSW of the city center, 962 ft (63 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Mc Ghee Tyson Airport (723260-13891), 11 mi SSW of the city center, 970 ft (71 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).