Bethlehem weather in October

In October, Bethlehem sees average daytime highs of 63°F and overnight lows near 45°F, with 4.1 in of precipitation across 8.7 wet days and about 10.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 68°F in the first days to 58°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% 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 Bethlehem's 1st-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bethlehem's year-round climate.

Daytime high
63°
6th warmest
Overnight low
45°
7th coldest
Precipitation
4.1 in
8.7 wet days
Daylight
10 h 54 min
6:20 AM – 5:13 PM
Cloud cover
55%
1st clearest
Wind
6 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
3.08 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.7
out of 10

Bethlehem is city in Lehigh and Northampton counties, Pennsylvania, USA.

Density
1,487/km²
people per km²
Founded
1741

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 58°F by the end.

A typical October day in Bethlehem reaches about 63°F in the afternoon and slips back to 45°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 53°F and 74°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)
16951
26950
36850
46849
56849
66749
76748
86648
96648
106647
116547
126546
136446
146446
156445
166345
176345
186244
196244
206144
216143
226043
236043
246042
255942
265942
275841
285841
295841
305740
315740

How October really feels in Bethlehem

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.

Bethlehem weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan37° / 23°3.69.65.29.40.0
Feb40° / 24°3.18.94.610.40.1
Mar48° / 31°4.110.93.811.71.8
Apr60° / 42°3.910.70.5134.7
May70° / 51°3.711.4014.26.2
Jun79° / 60°4.111014.86.3
Jul84° / 65°3.610.2014.65.4
Aug82° / 64°3.79.8013.66.1
Sep75° / 56°4.38.8012.37.0
Oct63° / 45°4.18.70.210.95.7
Nov51° / 35°3.38.30.89.72.7
Dec41° / 28°4.19.93.49.10.3

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in October, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 49%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25347
35446
45446
55446
65446
75446
85347
95347
105347
115347
125248
135248
145248
155149
165149
175149
185149
195050
205050
215050
224951
234951
245050
255050
265050
274951
284951
294951
305050
315050

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Bethlehem gets around 4.1 in of rain and snow over 8.7 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 28% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
131
231
331
430
530
630
729
829
929
1029
1129
1229
1329
1429
1529
1629
1729
1828
1928
2028
2128
2228
2328
2428
2527
2627
2727
2826
2926
3026
3126

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 85% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
17012144
27211134
37311124
47411123
57610113
67710103
7791092
8791092
9801082
10811072
11811072
1284961
1385951
1485951
1586941
1687931
1788831
1888831
1989821
2090721
2191720
2291720
2391720
2491720
2592620
2692620
2792620
2892620
2993520
3093520
3193520

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
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
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 6:03 AM to 6:37 AM, and sunset from 5:38 PM to 4:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:035:38
211.56:045:36
311.56:055:34
411.46:065:33
511.46:075:31
611.36:095:29
711.36:105:28
811.36:115:26
911.26:125:24
1011.26:135:23
1111.16:145:21
1211.16:155:20
1311.06:165:18
1411.06:175:17
1510.96:185:15
1610.96:205:13
1710.96:215:12
1810.86:225:11
1910.86:235:09
2010.76:245:08
2110.76:255:06
2210.66:265:05
2310.66:285:03
2410.66:295:02
2510.56:305:01
2610.56:314:59
2710.46:324:58
2810.46:334:57
2910.46:354:56
3010.36:364:54
3110.36:374:53

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.08 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.73 kWh/m² to a high of 5.99 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.08 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.6Moderate
23.6Moderate
33.5Moderate
43.5Moderate
53.5Moderate
63.4Moderate
73.4Moderate
83.4Moderate
93.3Moderate
103.3Moderate
113.3Moderate
123.2Moderate
133.2Moderate
143.2Moderate
153.1Moderate
163.1Moderate
173.1Moderate
183.0Moderate
193.0Moderate
203.0Moderate
212.9Moderate
222.9Moderate
232.8Moderate
242.8Moderate
252.8Moderate
262.7Moderate
272.7Moderate
282.7Moderate
292.6Moderate
302.6Moderate
312.6Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Bethlehem?

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

5.7
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
1.7
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Bethlehem for sightseeing.

What to pack for Bethlehem in October

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

In October, Bethlehem sees daytime highs around 63°F and nights near 45°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Bethlehem 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 Bethlehem peaks around July 10 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 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 highHighModerateLowJul 10UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Bethlehem 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 Bethlehem is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (November, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1518 µg/m³Nov 149 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May16Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Bethlehem?

Bethlehem sits at 40.6°N, 75.4°W, 358 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Allentown, 6.2 mi away.

Topography around Bethlehem

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Bethlehem has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 ft around an average of 358 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,024 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,516 ft.

The land around Bethlehem is covered by trees (43%) and artificial surfaces (36%) within 2 miles, trees (49%) and grassland (21%) within 10 miles, and trees (73%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
778 ft
10 miles
1,024 ft
50 miles
2,516 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Allentown 6.2 mi · Whitehall Township 7.5 mi · Easton 8.7 mi · Lansdale 27 mi · Limerick 29 mi · Pottstown 30 mi · Norristown 35 mi · Phoenixville 35 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 Bethlehem (40.6259°, -75.3705°, elevation 358 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).