Athens weather in October

In October, Athens sees average daytime highs of 66°F and overnight lows near 47°F, with 3.1 in of precipitation across 9.2 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 71°F in the first days to 60°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% 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 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Athens's 3rd-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Athens's year-round climate.

Daytime high
66°
6th warmest
Overnight low
47°
7th coldest
Precipitation
3.1 in
9.2 wet days
Daylight
10 h 54 min
6:45 AM – 5:42 PM
Cloud cover
55%
3rd clearest
Wind
6 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
3.26 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.1
out of 10

Athens is city in Athens County, Ohio, United States.

Density
963/km²
people per km²
Founded
1797

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 71°F in the first days to 60°F by the end.

A typical October day in Athens reaches about 66°F in the afternoon and slips back to 47°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 54°F and 78°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 12°F cooler than September and about 12°F warmer than November.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17253
27252
37152
47151
57151
67051
77050
86950
96949
106949
116849
126848
136748
146747
156647
166647
176546
186546
196446
206445
216445
226345
236344
246244
256244
266243
276143
286143
296042
306042
316042

How October really feels in Athens

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 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
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.

Athens weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan40° / 26°3.610.94.39.50.0
Feb43° / 28°3.510.24.110.50.5
Mar53° / 35°4.512.42.211.72.8
Apr65° / 46°4.412.50.3135.4
May73° / 55°4.713.7014.16.1
Jun81° / 63°4.512.5014.75.9
Jul85° / 67°4.113.1014.55.0
Aug84° / 65°3.510.5013.55.6
Sep78° / 58°3.58.5012.37.0
Oct66° / 47°3.19.20.1116.1
Nov53° / 37°3.39.20.79.83.2
Dec44° / 30°3.610.42.59.30.7

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25644
35644
45644
55644
65545
75644
85545
95545
105446
115545
125446
135446
145347
155347
165347
175248
185149
195050
205050
215050
224951
234951
244951
254753
264753
274753
284753
294654
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Athens gets around 3.1 in of rain and snow over 9.2 wet days in October, the driest month. 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 33% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
128
227
327
426
526
626
726
826
927
1027
1127
1228
1328
1429
1529
1630
1731
1831
1932
2032
2133
2233
2333
2433
2533
2633
2733
2833
2933
3032
3132

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 81% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
16417145
26517144
36716134
46816124
56816124
67115113
77215103
87215103
9731593
10761482
11761482
12771472
13801361
14801361
15811351
16821251
17841240
18851140
19861130
20871030
21871030
2289920
2389920
2490820
2590820
2690820
2791720
2891720
2992710
3093610
3193610

Wind in October

Winds average 6 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of October to 10 h 18 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 6:30 AM to 7:01 AM, and sunset from 6:05 PM to 5:22 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:306:05
211.56:316:04
311.56:326:02
411.56:336:00
511.46:345:59
611.46:355:57
711.36:365:56
811.36:375:54
911.26:385:52
1011.26:395:51
1111.26:405:49
1211.16:415:48
1311.16:425:46
1411.06:435:45
1511.06:445:43
1610.96:455:42
1710.96:465:40
1810.96:475:39
1910.86:485:38
2010.86:495:36
2110.76:505:35
2210.76:515:34
2310.76:535:32
2410.66:545:31
2510.66:555:30
2610.56:565:28
2710.56:575:27
2810.56:585:26
2910.46:595:25
3010.47:005:24
3110.37:015:22

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.26 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.65 kWh/m² to a high of 6.13 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.26 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.7Moderate
63.7Moderate
73.6Moderate
83.6Moderate
93.6Moderate
103.5Moderate
113.5Moderate
123.4Moderate
133.4Moderate
143.4Moderate
153.3Moderate
163.3Moderate
173.2Moderate
183.2Moderate
193.1Moderate
203.1Moderate
213.0Moderate
223.0Moderate
232.9Moderate
242.9Moderate
252.9Moderate
262.8Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.8Moderate
292.7Moderate
302.7Moderate
312.7Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Athens?

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

6.1
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
2.6
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Athens for sightseeing.

What to pack for Athens in October

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

In October, Athens sees daytime highs around 66°F and nights near 47°F. Worth packing: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

rain gear

UV index in Athens 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 Athens peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 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 highHighModerateJun 19UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Athens 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 Athens is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1318 µg/m³Nov 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar10Good
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Athens?

Athens sits at 39.3°N, 82.1°W, 719 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Parkersburg, 29 mi away.

Topography around Athens

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Athens has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 430 ft around an average of 778 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 499 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 ft.

The land around Athens is covered by trees (70%) within 2 miles, trees (81%) within 10 miles, and trees (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
430 ft
10 miles
499 ft
50 miles
778 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Parkersburg 29 mi · Lancaster 37 mi · Zanesville 42 mi · Chillicothe 47 mi · Pickerington 52 mi · Newark 53 mi · Pataskala 55 mi · Reynoldsburg 57 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 Athens (39.3292°, -82.1013°, elevation 719 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).