Altoona weather in October

In October, Altoona sees average daytime highs of 62°F and overnight lows near 42°F, with 2.9 in of precipitation across 8.1 wet days and about 10.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 68°F in the first days to 56°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 36 min at the start of October to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Altoona's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Altoona's year-round climate.

Daytime high
62°
6th warmest
Overnight low
42°
7th coldest
Precipitation
2.9 in
8.1 wet days
Daylight
10 h 54 min
6:33 AM – 5:25 PM
Cloud cover
52%
4th clearest
Wind
10 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
3.2 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.6
out of 10

Altoona is city in Polk County, Iowa, United States.

Density
699/km²
people per km²
Founded
1876

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 68°F in the first days to 56°F by the end.

A typical October day in Altoona reaches about 62°F in the afternoon and slips back to 42°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 48°F and 76°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 13°F cooler than September and about 15°F warmer than November.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16948
26948
36948
46847
56847
66746
76746
86646
96645
106545
116544
126444
136444
146343
156343
166242
176242
186142
196141
206041
216041
225940
235940
245839
255839
265738
275738
285638
295637
305537
315536

How October really feels in Altoona

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 6 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
6
wind chill below the day's low

The story in October is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Altoona weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 13°1.26.34.99.30.0
Feb34° / 17°1.56.54.710.30.0
Mar47° / 29°2.68.82.811.71.7
Apr61° / 40°4.411.20.913.14.7
May71° / 52°5.513.70.114.36.0
Jun80° / 62°5.011.90156.2
Jul84° / 66°3.89.5014.75.8
Aug82° / 63°4.09.5013.76.6
Sep75° / 55°3.68.3012.37.2
Oct62° / 42°2.98.10.410.95.6
Nov47° / 30°2.16.71.39.71.8
Dec34° / 19°1.65.94.190.0

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% 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 45%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16238
26139
36139
46139
56139
66139
76040
85941
95941
105842
115842
125644
135644
145644
155545
165545
175446
185347
195347
205248
215248
225149
235050
245050
255149
265050
274951
285050
295050
305050
314951

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitationSnow

Altoona gets around 2.9 in of rain and snow over 8.1 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 25% and peaks near 26% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1260
2260
3260
4260
5260
6260
7260
8260
9260
10260
11260
12260
13261
14261
15261
16261
17261
18261
19261
20261
21262
22262
23262
24252
25252
26252
27242
28243
29233
30233
31223

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 90% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1781264
2801253
3811153
4821053
5821053
684952
786842
886842
986842
1087742
1188741
1290631
1390631
1490631
1592530
1692530
1792530
1892530
1993430
2093430
2194420
2294420
2394420
2494420
2594420
2694420
2795320
2896310
2996310
3096310
3196310

Wind in October

Winds average 10 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of October to 10 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 84 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:16 AM to 6:51 AM, and sunset from 5:50 PM to 5:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:165:50
211.56:175:48
311.56:185:46
411.46:195:44
511.46:215:43
611.36:225:41
711.36:235:39
811.26:245:38
911.26:255:36
1011.16:265:34
1111.16:275:33
1211.06:285:31
1311.06:305:29
1410.96:315:28
1510.96:325:26
1610.96:335:25
1710.86:345:23
1810.86:355:22
1910.76:375:20
2010.76:385:19
2110.66:395:17
2210.66:405:16
2310.56:415:14
2410.56:435:13
2510.56:445:11
2610.46:455:10
2710.46:465:09
2810.36:485:07
2910.36:495:06
3010.26:505:05
3110.26:515:04

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.2 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.79 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in July across the year — October's 3.2 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
23.9Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.7Moderate
63.7Moderate
73.6Moderate
83.6Moderate
93.6Moderate
103.5Moderate
113.5Moderate
123.4Moderate
133.4Moderate
143.3Moderate
153.3Moderate
163.2Moderate
173.2Moderate
183.1Moderate
193.1Moderate
203.0Moderate
213.0Moderate
222.9Moderate
232.9Moderate
242.9Moderate
252.8Moderate
262.8Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.7Moderate
292.7Moderate
302.7Moderate
312.6Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Altoona?

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

5.6
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
1.6
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Altoona for sightseeing.

What to pack for Altoona in October

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

In October, Altoona sees daytime highs around 62°F and nights near 42°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Altoona in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Altoona peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Altoona 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 Altoona is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 2016 µg/m³Oct 217 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr11Good
May11Good
Jun12Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct7Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Altoona?

Altoona sits at 41.6°N, 93.5°W, 955 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Des Moines, 8.1 mi away.

Topography around Altoona

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Altoona.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Altoona has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 144 ft around an average of 938 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 266 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 653 ft.

The land around Altoona is covered by grassland (32%), cropland (28%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 2 miles, cropland (46%), grassland (22%) and trees (20%) within 10 miles, and cropland (64%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
144 ft
10 miles
266 ft
50 miles
653 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Des Moines 8.1 mi · Ankeny 9.3 mi · Johnston 12 mi · Urbandale 13 mi · West Des Moines 14 mi · Clive 14 mi · Indianola 21 mi · Waukee 22 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 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 Altoona (41.6442°, -93.4647°, elevation 955 ft), 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).