Grahamstown weather in October

In October, Grahamstown sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 56 mm of rain across 9 wet days and about 12.8 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% 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 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Grahamstown's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Grahamstown's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
7th warmest
Overnight low
12°
6th coldest
Rainfall
56 mm
9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 48 min
5:34 AM – 6:24 PM
Cloud cover
57%
11th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
5.44 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.1
out of 10

Grahamstown is city in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Founded
1820

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month.

A typical October day in Grahamstown reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 12°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 1°C warmer than September and about 1°C cooler than November.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12311
22311
32311
42311
52311
62311
72311
82311
92311
102311
112311
122311
132311
142311
152311
162312
172312
182312
192312
202312
212412
222412
232412
242412
252412
262412
272412
282412
292412
302412
312412

Grahamstown weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 7th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 16°639.2146.6
Feb28° / 17°649.913.26.4
Mar27° / 15°598.712.36.9
Apr24° / 13°498.111.27.3
May23° / 11°22510.37.9
Jun21° / 2249.87.7
Jul21° / 223.6107.8
Aug21° / 355.910.87.5
Sep22° / 10°406.211.87.5
Oct23° / 12°56912.87.1
Nov24° / 13°609.213.77.0
Dec26° / 15°629.814.26.7

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 49%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25248
35248
45149
55149
65050
75050
85050
95050
105050
115050
125050
135050
145050
155149
165149
175149
185149
195149
205050
215050
225149
235149
245149
255149
265149
275149
285149
295050
305149
315149

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Grahamstown gets around 56 mm of rain over 9 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 28% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
124
224
325
425
526
626
726
826
927
1027
1127
1227
1327
1427
1528
1628
1728
1829
1929
2029
2130
2230
2330
2430
2530
2630
2730
2830
2930
3030
3130

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 78% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
187121
287121
387121
486131
586131
685141
784142
883152
983152
1083152
1182162
1282162
1380173
1480173
1579183
1678193
1778193
1877203
1975214
2075214
2174224
2273234
2373234
2471245
2570255
2670255
2769265
2868266
2968266
3067276
3167276

Wind in October

Winds average 13 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

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

Days grow by about 60 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:53 AM to 5:18 AM, and sunset from 6:13 PM to 6:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.35:536:13
212.45:526:13
312.45:506:14
412.45:496:15
512.55:486:16
612.55:466:16
712.55:456:17
812.65:446:18
912.65:426:19
1012.65:416:19
1112.75:406:20
1212.75:396:21
1312.75:376:22
1412.85:366:23
1512.85:356:23
1612.85:346:24
1712.95:326:25
1812.95:316:26
1912.95:306:27
2013.05:296:27
2113.05:286:28
2213.05:276:29
2313.15:266:30
2413.15:256:31
2513.15:246:32
2613.25:236:33
2713.25:226:33
2813.25:216:34
2913.35:206:35
3013.35:196:36
3113.35:186:37

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 5.44 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.81 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in December across the year — October's 5.44 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.4Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.7Bright
235.7Bright
245.7Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Grahamstown?

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

7.1
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
5.7
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Grahamstown in October

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

In October, Grahamstown sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 12°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 9 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Grahamstown in October

The nearest coast averages about 19°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 48 km away) is warmest in February at about 23°C and coldest in September near 19°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Nov 4 to Jun 16 — about 7.4 months when the water holds above 20°C.

18°20°22°24°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swimcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan22Refreshing
Feb23Refreshing
Mar22Refreshing
Apr22Refreshing
May21Refreshing
Jun20Refreshing
Jul19Cool
Aug19Cool
Sep19Cool
Oct19Cool
Nov21Refreshing
Dec21Refreshing

UV index in Grahamstown in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Grahamstown peaks around January 14 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighExtremeJan 14UV 13Jun 22UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar10Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug5Moderate
Sep7High
Oct10Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Grahamstown 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 Grahamstown is worst in August — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (February, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1717 µg/m³Dec 236 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb6Good
Mar7Good
Apr10Good
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Grahamstown?

Grahamstown sits at 33.3°S, 26.5°E, 551 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Port Alfred, 45 km away.

Topography around Grahamstown

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Grahamstown has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 240 m around an average of 595 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 697 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,453 m.

The land around Grahamstown is covered by grassland (54%) and trees (21%) within 3 km, grassland (50%) and trees (34%) within 16 km, and grassland (44%), trees (21%) and water (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
240 m
16 km
697 m
80 km
1,453 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Port Alfred 45 km · Fort Beaufort 60 km · Alice 64 km · Dimbaza 82 km · Qonce 93 km · Bhisho 99 km · Ndevana 101 km · Somerset East 109 km

South Africa travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / M / N
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 41% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$6,598
2025
Happiness
5.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
68%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
43.7
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
22.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 602
Religion
Christian 86%or other traditional African religions 5%nothing in particular 5%Muslim 2%

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 Grahamstown (-33.3042°, 26.5328°, elevation 551 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).