Santa Cruz weather in October

In October, Santa Cruz sees average daytime highs of 21°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 35 mm of rain across 4.2 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 19°C in the first days to 22°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of October to 13 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Santa Cruz's 7th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Santa Cruz's year-round climate.

Daytime high
21°
7th warmest
Overnight low
6th coldest
Rainfall
35 mm
4.2 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
7:04 AM – 7:57 PM
Cloud cover
46%
7th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
6.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.5
out of 10

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 19°C in the first days to 22°C by the end.

A typical October day in Santa Cruz reaches about 21°C in the afternoon and slips back to 8°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 3°C warmer than September and about 4°C cooler than November.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1197
2197
3198
4198
5198
6208
7208
8208
9208
10208
11208
12208
13208
14218
15218
16218
17218
18218
19219
20219
21219
22229
23229
24229
25229
26229
27229
28229
29229
30239
31239

Santa Cruz weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 7th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 14°30.614.17.7
Feb28° / 14°50.713.38.2
Mar26° / 12°81.412.38.8
Apr21° / 413.411.27.8
May17° / 115710.25.6
Jun14° / 19510.29.73.9
Jul14° / 1308.89.94.0
Aug15° / 1087.810.74.9
Sep18° / 585.811.86.4
Oct21° / 354.212.97.5
Nov25° / 10°132.213.88.6
Dec27° / 12°101.314.38.5

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 37%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25545
35644
45644
55743
65842
75842
86040
96040
106139
116238
126238
136337
146337
156436
166436
176436
186535
196535
206535
216535
226634
236733
246733
256733
266832
276832
286733
296733
306832
316832

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Santa Cruz gets around 35 mm of rain over 4.2 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 13% and peaks near 17% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
117
217
317
417
517
617
717
817
916
1016
1116
1215
1315
1414
1513
1613
1712
1812
1912
2011
2111
2211
2310
2410
2510
2610
2710
2810
2910
3010
3110

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of October feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, October lands in the dry band about 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19982
20982
21982
22982
23982
24982
25973
26973
27973
28973
29973
30973
31973

Wind in October

Winds average 7 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of October to 13 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 7:24 AM to 6:47 AM, and sunset from 7:45 PM to 8:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.37:247:45
212.47:237:46
312.47:217:46
412.57:207:47
512.57:197:48
612.57:177:49
712.67:167:50
812.67:147:50
912.67:137:51
1012.77:127:52
1112.77:107:53
1212.77:097:54
1312.87:087:54
1412.87:067:55
1512.97:057:56
1612.97:047:57
1712.97:037:58
1813.07:017:59
1913.07:008:00
2013.06:598:01
2113.16:588:01
2213.16:578:02
2313.16:568:03
2413.26:558:04
2513.26:538:05
2613.26:528:06
2713.36:518:07
2813.36:508:08
2913.36:498:09
3013.46:488:10
3113.46:478:11

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 6.32 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.09 kWh/m² to a high of 8.75 kWh/m² in December across the year — October's 6.32 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.9Bright
106.0Bright
116.0Intense
126.1Intense
136.1Intense
146.2Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.4Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.7Intense
236.7Intense
246.8Intense
256.8Intense
266.9Intense
276.9Intense
287.0Intense
297.0Intense
307.1Intense
317.1Intense
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Santa Cruz

In seasonPeak

None of Santa Cruz's seasonal hazards are active in October. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Santa Cruz's rainy season runs May–August, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is October a good time to visit Santa Cruz?

Our two travel scores rate October for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

7.5
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
4.5
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

October is one of the better times to visit Santa Cruz for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Santa Cruz in October

From October's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In October, Santa Cruz sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 8°C. Pack sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Santa Cruz in October

The nearest coast averages about 13°C in October — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 69 km away) is warmest in February at about 16°C and coldest in August near 12°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

10°12°14°16°18°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan16Cool
Feb16Cool
Mar16Cool
Apr15Bracing
May14Bracing
Jun13Bracing
Jul13Bracing
Aug12Bracing
Sep13Bracing
Oct13Bracing
Nov14Bracing
Dec15Bracing

UV index in Santa Cruz in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Santa Cruz peaks around January 16 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 15 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 16UV 13Jun 15UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar10Very high
Apr5High
May3Moderate
Jun2Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct9Very high
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Santa Cruz in October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where October falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Santa Cruz is worst in May — around 41 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.1× the cleanest month (November, 19 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateMay 2040 µg/m³Nov 2319 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan34Moderate
Feb22Moderate
Mar22Moderate
Apr29Moderate
May41Poor
Jun37Poor
Jul37Poor
Aug35Moderate
Sep32Moderate
Oct24Moderate
Nov19Moderate
Dec19Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz sits at 34.6°S, 71.4°W, 174 m above sea level, in Chile. The nearest listed city is Chimbarongo, 31 km away.

Topography around Santa Cruz

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Santa Cruz.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Santa Cruz has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 35 m around an average of 164 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,083 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,840 m.

The land around Santa Cruz is covered by cropland (41%) and trees (25%) within 3 km, trees (32%) and cropland (31%) within 16 km, and trees (36%) and grassland (28%) within 80 km.

3 km
35 m
16 km
1,083 m
80 km
3,840 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Chimbarongo 31 km · San Vicente 35 km · San Vicente de Tagua Tagua 35 km · Curicó 40 km · Sagrada Familia 40 km · Rengo 53 km · Molina 53 km · Pichilemu 65 km

Chile travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F / L
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 48% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$17,995
2025
Happiness
6.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
6.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
14.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 517
Religion
Catholic 57%none 26%Evangelical or Protestant 16%other Christians and traditions related to Christ 1%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Santa Cruz (-34.6388°, -71.3658°, elevation 174 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).