Richmond, VA weather in October
In October, Richmond sees highs around 71°F and lows around 49°F: mild, with some rain. There are about 8 days with rain. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 71°F
- Normal low
- 49°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 3.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 2
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 76°F | 66°F |
| Normal low | 55°F | 43°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 27% | 28% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:05 am / 6:53 pm | 7:33 am / 6:12 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 49°F
- 9 am60°Fdew point 51°F
- Noon68°Fdew point 50°F
- 3 pm70°Fdew point 50°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 51°F
- 9 pm58°Fdew point 51°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Richmond Intl Airport (8 mi away); average wind 7 mph.
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 more2 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 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 3.4 in; a dry October brings about 2.2 in and a wet one about 4.6 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 October2002: average high 68°F
- Wettest October1996: 7.2 in
- Driest October2000: 0.01 in
- Highest reading98°F (October 2, 2019)
- Lowest reading28°F (October 20, 1992)
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 | 81°F | 71°F | 60°F |
| Normal low | 61°F | 49°F | 39°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 8 | 17 | 10 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.2 h | 10.2 h |
Highs change by -10°F from September and -11°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Wilmington, NC232 mi · high 76°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Frederick, MD129 mi · high 65°F · 9 wet days
How Richmond ranks in October
- Normal high191st warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 5 in Virginia
- Wet days216th driest of 378
- Comfortable days38th most of 340
What to pack for Richmond in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
Heating and cooling
October has 197 heating degree days and 40 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Richmond in October?
The normal high is 71°F and the normal low is 49°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest October reading was 98°F (October 2, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Richmond in October?
About 8 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.4 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (7.2 in); the driest was in 2000 (0.01 in).
Is October a good time to visit Richmond?
October ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Richmond (68 out of 100). It has about 17 comfortable days. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Richmond Intl Airport (USW00013740), 8.4 mi ESE of the city center, 164 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Richmond International Airport (724010-13740), 8.1 mi ESE of the city center, 166 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).