Folkestone weather in October

In October, Folkestone sees average daytime highs of 15°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 110 mm of rain across 14.6 wet days and about 10.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 16°C in the first days to 13°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% 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 Folkestone's 7th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Folkestone's year-round climate.

Daytime high
15°
5th warmest
Overnight low
12°
8th coldest
Rainfall
110 mm
14.6 wet days
Daylight
10 h 24 min
6:28 AM – 4:53 PM
Cloud cover
68%
7th clearest
Wind
26 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.03 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Folkestone is town and civil parish in Kent, England.

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

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 16°C in the first days to 13°C by the end.

A typical October day in Folkestone reaches about 15°C in the afternoon and slips back to 12°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 12°C and 17°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 3°C cooler than September and about 3°C warmer than November.

10°15°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11614
21614
31613
41613
51613
61613
71613
81513
91513
101513
111513
121513
131512
141512
151512
161512
171512
181412
191412
201412
211412
221412
231411
241411
251411
261411
271411
281411
291311
301311
311311

How October really feels in Folkestone

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.

Folkestone weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 10115.30.78.21.1
Feb / 7012.50.99.61.0
Mar / 5510.80.311.51.5
Apr10° / 489.60.113.52.4
May13° / 11°539.8015.33.6
Jun16° / 13°539.2016.24.8
Jul18° / 15°559.6015.95.9
Aug19° / 16°669.8014.46.1
Sep17° / 15°7011.1012.45.4
Oct15° / 12°11014.6010.43.9
Nov11° / 11516.40.28.72.4
Dec / 11215.40.77.81.5

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% 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 65%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23565
33565
43565
53565
63565
73565
83565
93565
103565
113565
123565
133565
143664
153664
163763
173763
183763
193664
203664
213664
223664
233664
243664
253565
263565
273565
283565
293466
303565
313466

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Folkestone gets around 110 mm of rain over 14.6 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 47% and peaks near 50% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
148
248
348
448
548
647
747
846
946
1046
1146
1245
1345
1446
1546
1646
1746
1847
1947
2047
2148
2248
2348
2449
2549
2649
2749
2849
2949
3049
3150

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 80% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
168311
269301
370291
471281
572280
673270
774260
875250
976240
1076240
1177230
1278220
1378220
1479210
1579210
1680200
1781190
1881190
1982180
2083170
2184160
2285150
2386140
2487130
2587130
2688120
2789110
2890100
299190
309280
319280

Wind in October

Winds average 26 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 24 km/h on the calmest days to 27 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
124breezy
224breezy
324breezy
424breezy
524breezy
624breezy
725breezy
825breezy
925breezy
1025breezy
1125breezy
1225breezy
1325breezy
1425breezy
1526breezy
1626breezy
1726breezy
1826breezy
1926breezy
2026breezy
2127breezy
2227breezy
2327breezy
2427breezy
2527breezy
2627breezy
2727breezy
2827breezy
2927breezy
3027breezy
3127breezy

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 6:03 AM to 6:54 AM, and sunset from 5:26 PM to 4:23 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:035:26
211.36:045:24
311.36:065:21
411.26:085:19
511.16:095:17
611.16:115:14
711.06:135:12
810.96:155:10
910.96:165:08
1010.86:185:05
1110.76:205:03
1210.76:215:01
1310.66:234:59
1410.56:254:57
1510.56:264:55
1610.46:284:53
1710.36:304:50
1810.36:324:48
1910.26:334:46
2010.26:354:44
2110.16:374:42
2210.06:394:40
2310.06:404:38
249.96:424:36
259.86:444:34
269.86:464:32
279.76:474:31
289.76:494:29
299.66:514:27
309.56:534:25
319.56:544:23

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 2.03 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.7 kWh/m² to a high of 5.91 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 2.03 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.6Moderate
22.6Moderate
32.5Moderate
42.5Moderate
52.5Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.3Moderate
92.3Moderate
102.3Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.2Moderate
132.1Moderate
142.1Moderate
152.1Moderate
162.0Moderate
172.0Moderate
182.0Dim
191.9Dim
201.9Dim
211.9Dim
221.8Dim
231.8Dim
241.7Dim
251.7Dim
261.7Dim
271.6Dim
281.6Dim
291.6Dim
301.5Dim
311.5Dim
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Folkestone?

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

3.9
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.1
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Folkestone.

What to pack for Folkestone in October

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

In October, Folkestone sees daytime highs around 15°C and nights near 12°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: a warm layer and a windbreaker. About 15 days see rain.

rain geara warm layera windbreaker

Sea temperature near Folkestone in October

The nearest coast averages about 16°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 15 km away) is warmest in August at about 18°C and coldest in February near 8°C.

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

5°10°15°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan9Bracing
Feb8Bracing
Mar8Bracing
Apr9Bracing
May11Bracing
Jun14Bracing
Jul16Cool
Aug18Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct16Cool
Nov13Bracing
Dec11Bracing

UV index in Folkestone 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 Folkestone peaks around June 22 at about 6 (high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 6 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowJun 22UV 6Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr3Moderate
May6High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct2Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Folkestone?

Folkestone sits at 51.1°N, 1.2°E, 46 m above sea level, in United Kingdom. The nearest listed city is Dover, 11 km away.

Topography around Folkestone

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Folkestone has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 177 m around an average of 45 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 196 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 319 m.

The land around Folkestone is covered by water (40%), artificial surfaces (22%) and trees (20%) within 3 km, water (49%) within 16 km, and water (53%) within 80 km.

3 km
177 m
16 km
196 m
80 km
319 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Dover 11 km · Ashford 22 km · Deal 23 km · Canterbury 23 km · Faversham 32 km · Herne Bay 33 km · Whitstable 33 km · Ramsgate 33 km

United Kingdom travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G / M
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 89% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$57,602
2025
Happiness
6.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.1
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
3.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Christian 60%none 26%Muslim 4%other 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 Folkestone (51.0817°, 1.1673°, elevation 46 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).