Climateby Month

Wisconsin Dells, WI weather in October

NOAA 1991-2020 normals and daily records · Wisconsin Dells all year

Expect cool weather with some rain in Wisconsin Dells in October, with highs near 60°F and lows near 37°F. Rain falls on about 10 days.

Normal high
60°F
Normal low
37°F
Wet days
10
2.8 in total
Muggy days
0
dew point 65°F+

How October changes from start to finish

Normal values at the start and end of October
October 1October 31
Normal high67°F52°F
Normal low42°F32°F
Chance of a wet day32%30%
Sunrise / sunset6:56 am / 6:40 pm7:33 am / 5:51 pm
Daylight11.7 h10.3 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

  1. 6 am44°Fdew point 39°F
  2. 9 am50°Fdew point 41°F
  3. Noon56°Fdew point 41°F
  4. 3 pm58°Fdew point 40°F
  5. 6 pm52°Fdew point 41°F
  6. 9 pm48°Fdew point 40°F

NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (40 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 below12 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 1.5 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 0.4 in.

How October varies from year to year

  • Warmest October, 1991-20202010: average high 65°F
  • Coolest October2009: average high 52°F
  • Wettest October2019: 6.4 in
  • Driest October2000: 0.7 in
  • Highest reading87°F (October 1, 2019)
  • Lowest reading14°F (October 18, 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

SeptemberOctoberNovember
Normal high73°F60°F44°F
Normal low49°F37°F26°F
Wet days9108
Comfortable days1492
Daylight12.5 h11.0 h9.7 h

Highs change by -13°F from September and -16°F into November.

Nearby alternatives in October

How Wisconsin Dells ranks in October

  • Normal high325th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 5 in Wisconsin
  • Wet days277th driest of 378
  • Comfortable days247th most of 340

What to pack for Wisconsin Dells in October

  • A warm jacket – lows near 37°F, highs near 60°F
  • A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days

Frost in October

The first fall frost typically comes around Oct 3; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Sep 21. All frost dates for Wisconsin Dells.

Heating and cooling

October has 526 heating degree days and 5 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.

Questions

How cold is Wisconsin Dells in October?

The normal high is 60°F and the normal low is 37°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was 14°F (October 18, 1992).

Does it rain a lot in Wisconsin Dells 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 (6.4 in); the driest was in 2000 (0.7 in).

Does it snow in Wisconsin Dells in October?

Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 0.4 in.

Is October a good time to visit Wisconsin Dells?

October ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Wisconsin Dells (56 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days. The best month is May.

Where the numbers come from

  • Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Wisconsin Dells (USC00479319), 1.3 mi S of the city center, 835 ft (76 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
  • Humidity and wind by hour: Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (USW00014837), 40 mi SSE 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), 40 mi SSE of the city center, 859 ft (52 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
  • Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).