Butte weather in October

In October, Butte sees average daytime highs of 49°F and overnight lows near 28°F, with 1.3 in of precipitation across 8.2 wet days and about 10.7 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 56°F in the first days to 43°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% 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 9 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Butte's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Butte's year-round climate.

Daytime high
49°
6th warmest
Overnight low
28°
7th coldest
Precipitation
1.3 in
8.2 wet days
Daylight
10 h 42 min
6:55 AM – 5:35 PM
Cloud cover
56%
4th clearest
Wind
5 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
3.23 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.3
out of 10

Butte is consolidated city-county (with Silver Bow County) in Montana, United States.

Density
18/km²
people per km²
Founded
1864

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 56°F in the first days to 43°F by the end.

A typical October day in Butte reaches about 49°F in the afternoon and slips back to 28°F overnight — a 22°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 36°F and 63°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 15°F cooler than September and about 14°F warmer than November.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15833
25733
35632
45632
55531
65431
75431
85330
95330
105229
115229
125129
135129
145028
155028
164928
174928
184928
194827
204827
214727
224726
234626
244626
254525
264525
274424
284324
294323
304223
314222

How October really feels in Butte

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 31 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
31
wind chill below the day's low

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

Butte 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
Jan27° / 0.96.98.18.90.0
Feb30° / 11°0.96.98.1100.0
Mar38° / 17°1.49.89.411.60.0
Apr45° / 24°2.211.7913.31.0
May56° / 33°3.114.84.214.73.2
Jun65° / 40°3.313.81.315.55.3
Jul76° / 46°1.58.60.115.27.3
Aug76° / 45°1.170.1147.7
Sep65° / 38°1.46.6112.36.3
Oct49° / 28°1.38.24.510.72.3
Nov35° / 16°1.27.67.39.20.0
Dec26° / 1.07.48.68.50.0

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% 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 49%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16040
25941
35842
45743
55644
65545
75446
85446
95347
105248
115248
125149
135149
145149
155149
165050
175050
185149
195050
205050
214951
225050
234951
244951
254852
264852
274753
284753
294753
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitationSnow

Butte gets around 1.3 in of rain and snow over 8.2 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 26% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1248
2249
32510
42510
52611
62611
72712
82712
92713
102713
112613
122614
132614
142614
152614
162614
172514
182515
192515
202515
212515
222616
232616
242616
252617
262517
272518
282518
292619
302619
312620

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in October

Winds average 5 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of October to 9 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 96 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:35 AM to 7:17 AM, and sunset from 6:04 PM to 5:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:356:04
211.46:366:02
311.46:376:00
411.36:395:58
511.36:405:56
611.26:415:54
711.26:435:52
811.16:445:50
911.06:455:48
1011.06:475:46
1110.96:485:44
1210.96:505:43
1310.86:515:41
1410.86:525:39
1510.76:545:37
1610.76:555:35
1710.66:575:33
1810.66:585:32
1910.56:595:30
2010.57:015:28
2110.47:025:27
2210.47:045:25
2310.37:055:23
2410.37:065:22
2510.27:085:20
2610.27:095:18
2710.17:115:17
2810.17:125:15
2910.07:145:14
3010.07:155:12
319.97:175:11

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.23 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.6 kWh/m² to a high of 7.42 kWh/m² in July across the year — October's 3.23 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.0Bright
24.0Moderate
33.9Moderate
43.9Moderate
53.8Moderate
63.7Moderate
73.7Moderate
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
223.0Moderate
232.9Moderate
242.9Moderate
252.8Moderate
262.8Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.7Moderate
292.7Moderate
302.6Moderate
312.6Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Butte?

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

2.3
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Butte.

What to pack for Butte in October

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

In October, Butte sees daytime highs around 49°F and nights near 28°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Butte 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 Butte peaks around July 14 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 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 14UV 9Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7High
Sep5High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Butte 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 Butte is worst in September — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.8× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1329 µg/m³Jan 196 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar10Good
Apr10Good
May10Good
Jun9Good
Jul16Moderate
Aug21Moderate
Sep30Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Butte?

Butte sits at 46.0°N, 112.5°W, 5,538 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Helena, 47 mi away.

Topography around Butte

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Butte has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,060 ft around an average of 5,617 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,494 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 7,228 ft.

The land around Butte is covered by artificial surfaces (40%) and grassland (36%) within 2 miles, trees (49%) and grassland (43%) within 10 miles, and trees (48%) and grassland (46%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
1,060 ft
10 miles
3,494 ft
50 miles
7,228 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermoss and lichen
October weather nearby: Helena 47 mi · Bozeman 75 mi · Missoula 92 mi · Great Falls 119 mi · Rexburg 155 mi · Kalispell 173 mi · Idaho Falls 177 mi · Whitefish 186 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 Butte (46.0038°, -112.5347°, elevation 5,538 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).