Ann Arbor weather in October

In October, Ann Arbor sees average daytime highs of 60°F and overnight lows near 43°F, with 2.7 in of precipitation across 9.3 wet days and about 10.8 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 66°F in the first days to 54°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of October to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Ann Arbor's 5th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ann Arbor's year-round climate.

Daytime high
60°
6th warmest
Overnight low
43°
7th coldest
Precipitation
2.7 in
9.3 wet days
Daylight
10 h 48 min
6:55 AM – 5:45 PM
Cloud cover
62%
5th clearest
Wind
8 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
2.93 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.9
out of 10

Ann Arbor is county seat of Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States.

Density
1,561/km²
people per km²
Founded
1824

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 66°F in the first days to 54°F by the end.

A typical October day in Ann Arbor reaches about 60°F in the afternoon and slips back to 43°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 48°F and 73°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 13°F cooler than September and about 14°F warmer than November.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16748
26647
36647
46647
56546
66546
76446
86445
96445
106345
116344
126244
136244
146143
156143
166043
176042
185942
195942
205841
215841
225741
235740
245640
255640
265640
275539
285539
295439
305438
315338

How October really feels in Ann Arbor

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 1 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
1
wind chill below the day's low

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

Ann Arbor 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
Jan31° / 19°2.49.76.19.30.0
Feb34° / 20°2.18.25.610.30.0
Mar45° / 28°2.59.73.611.61.0
Apr57° / 39°3.611.81.313.13.9
May68° / 49°3.912.5014.45.9
Jun78° / 59°3.710.50156.6
Jul82° / 63°3.310.8014.86.3
Aug80° / 61°3.310.3013.76.6
Sep73° / 54°2.78.6012.36.9
Oct60° / 43°2.79.30.210.84.9
Nov47° / 33°2.691.99.61.5
Dec36° / 25°2.394.690.0

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% 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 59%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
25050
35050
45050
55050
65050
75050
84852
94852
104852
114753
124654
134456
144357
154258
164060
173961
183862
193862
203664
213565
223466
233466
243367
253367
263367
273268
283268
293268
303268
313268

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitationSnow

Ann Arbor gets around 2.7 in of rain and snow over 9.3 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 30% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1300
2300
3300
4290
5290
6290
7290
8290
9290
10290
11290
12290
13290
14290
15290
16290
17300
18300
19300
20300
21311
22311
23311
24311
25311
26311
27311
28301
29301
30301
31292

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 (%)
1801172
2811162
3811162
4821062
5831052
6831052
785951
885951
986941
1087841
1187841
1289731
1389731
1490631
1591621
1693520
1793520
1893520
1993520
2094420
2194420
2294420
2394420
2495410
2595410
2695410
2795410
2895410
2995410
3095410
3195410

Wind in October

Winds average 8 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 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 78 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:37 AM to 7:14 AM, and sunset from 6:10 PM to 5:23 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:376:10
211.56:396:09
311.56:406:07
411.46:416:05
511.46:426:03
611.36:436:02
711.36:446:00
811.26:465:58
911.26:475:56
1011.16:485:55
1111.16:495:53
1211.06:505:51
1311.06:515:50
1410.96:535:48
1510.96:545:47
1610.86:555:45
1710.86:565:43
1810.76:575:42
1910.76:595:40
2010.67:005:39
2110.67:015:37
2210.67:025:36
2310.57:045:34
2410.57:055:33
2510.47:065:31
2610.47:075:30
2710.37:095:29
2810.37:105:27
2910.37:115:26
3010.27:125:25
3110.27:145:23

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 2.93 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.45 kWh/m² to a high of 6.3 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 2.93 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.6Moderate
23.6Moderate
33.6Moderate
43.5Moderate
53.5Moderate
63.4Moderate
73.4Moderate
83.4Moderate
93.3Moderate
103.3Moderate
113.2Moderate
123.1Moderate
133.1Moderate
143.0Moderate
153.0Moderate
162.9Moderate
172.9Moderate
182.8Moderate
192.8Moderate
202.7Moderate
212.7Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.6Moderate
242.5Moderate
252.5Moderate
262.5Moderate
272.4Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.3Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Ann Arbor?

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

4.9
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
1.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Ann Arbor for sightseeing.

What to pack for Ann Arbor in October

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

In October, Ann Arbor sees daytime highs around 60°F and nights near 43°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Ann Arbor in October

The nearest coast averages about 58°F 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 34 mi away) is warmest in August at about 75°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 20 to Sep 20 — about 3.1 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan34Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar36Bracing
Apr44Bracing
May56Bracing
Jun67Cool
Jul75Refreshing
Aug75Warm
Sep70Refreshing
Oct58Bracing
Nov46Bracing
Dec38Bracing

UV index in Ann Arbor in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Ann Arbor peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 9Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Ann Arbor 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 Ann Arbor is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1116 µg/m³Oct 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov9Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Ann Arbor?

Ann Arbor sits at 42.3°N, 83.7°W, 883 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ypsilanti, 6.8 mi away.

Topography around Ann Arbor

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Ann Arbor has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 295 ft around an average of 883 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 436 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 945 ft.

The land around Ann Arbor is covered by trees (60%) and artificial surfaces (30%) within 2 miles, trees (49%) and grassland (24%) within 10 miles, and trees (40%) and cropland (29%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
295 ft
10 miles
436 ft
50 miles
945 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Ypsilanti 6.8 mi · Canton 14 mi · Westland 17 mi · Romulus 18 mi · Wayne 18 mi · Novi 19 mi · Livonia 21 mi · Garden City 21 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 Ann Arbor (42.2776°, -83.7409°, elevation 883 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. 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).