Riohacha weather in October

In October, Riohacha sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 189 mm of rain across 25.4 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in October, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 54 min at the start of October to 11 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Riohacha's 9th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Riohacha's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
9th warmest
Overnight low
25°
6th coldest
Rainfall
189 mm
25.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
5:45 AM – 5:29 PM
Cloud cover
78%
9th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
5.14 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.0
out of 10

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical October day in Riohacha reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 1°C cooler than September and on par with November.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13125
23125
33125
43125
53125
63125
73125
83125
93025
103025
113025
123025
133025
143025
153025
163025
173025
183025
193025
203025
213025
223025
233025
243025
253025
263025
273025
283025
293025
303025
313025

How October really feels in Riohacha

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 31 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in October is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Riohacha weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 24°133.711.45.7
Feb31° / 24°102.511.65.6
Mar31° / 25°174.211.95.1
Apr31° / 25°489.512.24.1
May31° / 26°13917.612.53.3
Jun32° / 26°8112.512.73.4
Jul33° / 26°498.812.63.5
Aug32° / 26°9715.712.43.1
Sep31° / 25°16522.412.12.9
Oct30° / 25°18925.411.73.0
Nov30° / 25°12719.811.53.7
Dec30° / 25°459.911.35.0

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 79%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11684
21783
31783
41783
51882
61882
71981
81981
91981
101981
111981
121981
132080
142080
152080
162278
172278
182377
192377
202476
212476
222575
232575
242575
252575
262575
272575
282674
292674
302773
312773

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Riohacha gets around 189 mm of rain over 25.4 wet days in October, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 82% and peaks near 84% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
182
282
382
482
582
682
782
882
982
1082
1183
1283
1384
1484
1584
1684
1784
1884
1984
2084
2184
2283
2383
2482
2581
2681
2780
2878
2977
3077
3176

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the miserable band about 63% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12872
22971
32971
43070
53070
63169
73169
83268
93367
103466
113565
123664
133664
143763
153862
163862
173961
183961
193961
204060
214060
224060
234159
244159
254258
264357
274456
284555
294555
304654
314753

Wind in October

Winds average 10 km/h in October, the calmest month.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3112calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min at the start of October to 11 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:44 AM to 5:47 AM, and sunset from 5:38 PM to 5:23 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.95:445:38
211.95:445:37
311.95:445:36
411.95:445:36
511.95:445:35
611.85:445:34
711.85:445:34
811.85:445:33
911.85:445:33
1011.85:445:32
1111.85:445:31
1211.85:445:31
1311.85:445:30
1411.85:445:30
1511.75:445:29
1611.75:455:29
1711.75:455:28
1811.75:455:28
1911.75:455:27
2011.75:455:27
2111.75:455:26
2211.75:455:26
2311.75:465:26
2411.75:465:25
2511.65:465:25
2611.65:465:25
2711.65:465:24
2811.65:475:24
2911.65:475:24
3011.65:475:23
3111.65:475:23

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 5.14 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.79 kWh/m² to a high of 6.23 kWh/m² in July across the year — October's 5.14 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.0Bright
255.0Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Riohacha

In seasonPeak

In October, Riohacha sits inside its atlantic hurricane and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Riohacha sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Riohacha's rainy season runs August–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is October a good time to visit Riohacha?

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

3.0
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
4.3
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Riohacha.

What to pack for Riohacha in October

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

In October, Riohacha sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 25 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Riohacha in October

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in October — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 25°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan25Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr26Warm
May27Warm
Jun28Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Riohacha in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Riohacha peaks around April 13 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 9 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highApr 13UV 13Dec 13UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Riohacha 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 Riohacha is worst in June — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (January, 11 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 1530 µg/m³Jan 1011 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar22Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May28Moderate
Jun30Moderate
Jul27Moderate
Aug28Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Riohacha?

Riohacha sits at 11.5°N, 72.9°W, 7 m above sea level, in Colombia. The nearest listed city is Albania, 55 km away.

VillanuevaValledupar

Topography around Riohacha

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Riohacha has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 25 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 46 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,978 m.

The land around Riohacha is covered by artificial surfaces (39%) and water (31%) within 3 km, water (43%) and shrubs (34%) within 16 km, and water (36%), trees (32%) and shrubs (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
25 m
16 km
46 m
80 km
3,978 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
October weather nearby: Albania 55 km · Hatonuevo 55 km · Barrancas 66 km · Fonseca 73 km · Maicao 75 km · San Juan del Cesar 87 km · Villanueva 104 km · Valledupar 126 km

Colombia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 / 240 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 38% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$8,562
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
74%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
24.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
15.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 480
Religion
Roman Catholic 64%Protestant 17%none 14%atheist 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 Riohacha (11.5444°, -72.9072°, elevation 7 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).