Madison, WI weather in October
October in Madison: cool, with frequent rain. Highs 60°F, lows 40°F, about 10 days with rain or snow and about 0.6 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 60°F
- Normal low
- 40°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 2.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 0.6 in
- normal snowfall
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 67°F | 53°F |
| Normal low | 45°F | 35°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:55 am / 6:39 pm | 7:31 am / 5:51 pm |
| Daylight | 11.7 h | 10.3 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical October day
- 6 am44°Fdew point 39°F
- 9 am50°Fdew point 41°F
- Noon56°Fdew point 41°F
- 3 pm58°Fdew point 40°F
- 6 pm52°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 pm48°Fdew point 40°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (6 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F9 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below7 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 and snow in October
Normal precipitation is 2.8 in; a dry October brings about 1.4 in and a wet one about 3.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.6 in.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202010: average high 65°F
- Coolest October2009: average high 53°F
- Wettest October2019: 5.8 in
- Driest October1994: 0.7 in
- Highest reading87°F (October 6, 2007)
- Lowest reading18°F (October 19, 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 | 73°F | 60°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 40°F | 29°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 15 | 9 | 2 |
| Daylight | 12.5 h | 11.0 h | 9.7 h |
Highs change by -13°F from September and -15°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Davenport, IA123 mi · high 65°F · 9 wet days
How Madison ranks in October
- Normal high324th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 5 in Wisconsin
- Wet days287th driest of 378
- Comfortable days237th most of 340
What to pack for Madison in October
- A warm jacket – lows near 40°F, highs near 60°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
Frost in October
The first fall frost typically comes around Oct 10; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Sep 26. All frost dates for Madison.
Heating and cooling
October has 480 heating degree days and 6 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Madison in October?
The normal high is 60°F and the normal low is 40°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 18°F (October 19, 1992).
Does it rain a lot in Madison in October?
About 10 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.8 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2019 (5.9 in); the driest was in 1994 (0.7 in).
Does it snow in Madison in October?
Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 0.6 in.
Is October a good time to visit Madison?
October ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Madison (57 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (USW00014837), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 866 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Dane Co Regional-Truax Field Airport (726410-14837), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 859 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).