Schmalkalden weather in October

In October, Schmalkalden sees average daytime highs of 12°C and overnight lows near 5°C, with 61 mm of precipitation across 11.8 wet days and about 10.4 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 14°C in the first days to 9°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of October to 9 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Schmalkalden's 8th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Schmalkalden's year-round climate.

Daytime high
12°
7th warmest
Overnight low
7th coldest
Precipitation
61 mm
11.8 wet days
Daylight
10 h 24 min
6:51 AM – 5:16 PM
Cloud cover
73%
8th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.8 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.8
out of 10

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 14°C in the first days to 9°C by the end.

A typical October day in Schmalkalden reaches about 12°C in the afternoon and slips back to 5°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 6°C and 17°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 5°C cooler than September and about 6°C warmer than November.

-5°10°15°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1147
2147
3147
4147
5147
6137
7137
8136
9136
10136
11126
12126
13126
14125
15125
16125
17115
18115
19115
20115
21115
22105
23104
24104
25104
26104
27104
28104
2994
3094
3194

How October really feels in Schmalkalden

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 0 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
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

October sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Schmalkalden weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 7th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -3°6413.37.48.30.0
Feb / -3°5110.46.49.70.0
Mar / 6313.24.611.50.9
Apr12° / 5711.71.113.53.1
May16° / 8213.40.115.24.7
Jun20° / 11°8013.6016.25.5
Jul22° / 13°8914.3015.85.9
Aug21° / 12°8112.9014.36.1
Sep17° / 6411012.45.1
Oct12° / 6111.80.310.42.8
Nov / 6211.73.48.70.5
Dec / -2°6814.26.97.80.0

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 72%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12773
22674
32674
42674
52674
62674
72674
82872
92872
102971
112971
123070
133169
143268
153169
163169
173268
183268
193169
203169
213070
223070
232971
242773
252773
262773
272674
282575
292575
302575
312476

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitationSnow

Schmalkalden gets around 61 mm of rain and snow over 11.8 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 37% and peaks near 41% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1410
2410
3410
4410
5410
6400
7401
8391
9391
10381
11371
12361
13361
14351
15351
16341
17341
18341
19351
20351
21351
22361
23361
24361
25371
26372
27372
28372
29382
30382
31383

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 (%)
1973
2973
3973
4973
5973
6982
7982
8982
9982
10982
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in October

Winds average 12 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 11 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
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of October to 9 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 114 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:25 AM to 7:16 AM, and sunset from 5:49 PM to 4:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:255:49
211.36:275:47
311.36:295:44
411.26:305:42
511.16:325:40
611.16:345:38
711.06:355:35
810.96:375:33
910.96:395:31
1010.86:405:29
1110.76:425:27
1210.76:445:24
1310.66:455:22
1410.66:475:20
1510.56:495:18
1610.46:515:16
1710.46:525:14
1810.36:545:12
1910.26:565:10
2010.26:575:08
2110.16:595:06
2210.17:015:04
2310.07:035:02
249.97:045:00
259.97:064:58
269.87:084:56
279.77:094:54
289.77:114:52
299.67:134:51
309.67:154:49
319.57:164:47

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 1.8 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.63 kWh/m² to a high of 5.33 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 1.8 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.3Moderate
22.3Moderate
32.2Moderate
42.2Moderate
52.2Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.0Moderate
102.0Moderate
112.0Dim
122.0Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.8Dim
181.8Dim
191.8Dim
201.7Dim
211.7Dim
221.6Dim
231.6Dim
241.6Dim
251.5Dim
261.5Dim
271.4Dim
281.4Dim
291.4Dim
301.4Dim
311.3Dim
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Schmalkalden?

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

2.8
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Schmalkalden.

What to pack for Schmalkalden in October

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

In October, Schmalkalden sees daytime highs around 12°C and nights near 5°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Schmalkalden in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Schmalkalden peaks around July 13 at about 7 (high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowJul 13UV 7Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May6High
Jun7High
Jul7High
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct2Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Schmalkalden 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 Schmalkalden is worst in April — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.7× the cleanest month (November, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1415 µg/m³Nov 219 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb11Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul12Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov9Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Schmalkalden?

Schmalkalden sits at 50.7°N, 10.4°E, 291 m above sea level, in Germany. The nearest listed city is Meiningen, 17 km away.

Topography around Schmalkalden

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Schmalkalden has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 259 m around an average of 379 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 678 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 858 m.

The land around Schmalkalden is covered by trees (58%) and grassland (23%) within 3 km, trees (69%) within 16 km, and trees (48%) and cropland (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
259 m
16 km
678 m
80 km
858 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
October weather nearby: Meiningen 17 km · Bad Salzungen 18 km · Suhl 22 km · Eisenach 30 km · Gotha 31 km · Ilmenau 34 km · Arnstadt 38 km · Bad Langensalza 45 km

Germany travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 80% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$60,496
2025
Happiness
6.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
3.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 615
Religion
none 44%Roman Catholic 25%Protestant 23%other 5%

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 Schmalkalden (50.7214°, 10.4439°, elevation 291 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. 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).