Cape Girardeau weather in October

In October, Cape Girardeau sees average daytime highs of 69°F and overnight lows near 50°F, with 3.9 in of precipitation across 7.9 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 75°F in the first days to 64°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% 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 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Cape Girardeau's 2nd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cape Girardeau's year-round climate.

Daytime high
69°
6th warmest
Overnight low
50°
7th coldest
Precipitation
3.9 in
7.9 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
6:12 AM – 5:14 PM
Cloud cover
47%
2nd clearest
Wind
7 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
3.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

Cape Girardeau is city in Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri.

Density
535/km²
people per km²
Founded
1793

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 75°F in the first days to 64°F by the end.

A typical October day in Cape Girardeau reaches about 69°F in the afternoon and slips back to 50°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 58°F and 80°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 12°F cooler than September and about 13°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17655
27555
37554
47554
57453
67453
77353
87352
97352
107252
117251
127151
137151
147050
157050
166949
176949
186949
196848
206848
216748
226747
236647
246647
256547
266546
276546
286446
296445
306345
316344

How October really feels in Cape Girardeau

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.

Cape Girardeau weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan43° / 28°3.89.229.70.6
Feb48° / 31°3.48.21.710.61.8
Mar58° / 40°4.811.80.711.74.1
Apr68° / 49°5.311.1012.96.1
May77° / 60°4.712.30146.4
Jun85° / 68°3.510.1014.55.3
Jul88° / 72°3.310.1014.34.4
Aug87° / 69°2.88013.45.0
Sep81° / 61°3.27.6012.36.8
Oct69° / 50°3.97.90.1117.0
Nov56° / 39°4.18.70.5104.1
Dec46° / 31°3.78.91.39.51.4

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16733
26733
36733
46733
56634
66535
76634
86535
96436
106436
116436
126436
136337
146337
156337
166238
176238
186139
196139
206139
216040
225941
235941
245842
255743
265644
275545
285347
295347
305248
315248

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Cape Girardeau gets around 3.9 in of rain and snow over 7.9 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 29% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
121
221
321
421
521
622
722
823
924
1024
1125
1225
1326
1426
1527
1627
1727
1827
1927
2028
2128
2228
2328
2428
2529
2629
2729
2829
2929
3029
3129

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 73% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1551715112
2581714101
3591614101
460161491
560161491
663151381
764151371
864151371
966141361
1068141251
1169141250
1271131240
1372131140
1473131130
1573131130
1676121020
1776121020
187712920
197712920
207812910
218011810
228011810
238011810
248111710
258111710
268111710
278211610
288211610
298211610
308310610
318410510

Wind in October

Winds average 7 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
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
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 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 66 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:58 AM to 6:28 AM, and sunset from 5:36 PM to 4:56 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.65:585:36
211.65:595:34
311.56:005:33
411.56:015:31
511.56:025:30
611.46:035:28
711.46:045:27
811.36:055:25
911.36:065:24
1011.36:075:22
1111.26:085:21
1211.26:095:19
1311.16:105:18
1411.16:105:17
1511.16:115:15
1611.06:125:14
1711.06:135:12
1810.96:145:11
1910.96:155:10
2010.96:165:09
2110.86:175:07
2210.86:185:06
2310.86:195:05
2410.76:205:04
2510.76:215:02
2610.66:225:01
2710.66:235:00
2810.66:244:59
2910.56:264:58
3010.56:274:57
3110.56:284:56

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.64 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.99 kWh/m² to a high of 6.5 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.64 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.4Bright
24.3Bright
34.3Bright
44.2Bright
54.2Bright
64.2Bright
74.1Bright
84.0Bright
94.0Moderate
103.9Moderate
113.9Moderate
123.8Moderate
133.8Moderate
143.7Moderate
153.7Moderate
163.6Moderate
173.6Moderate
183.5Moderate
193.5Moderate
203.4Moderate
213.4Moderate
223.3Moderate
233.3Moderate
243.2Moderate
253.2Moderate
263.1Moderate
273.1Moderate
283.1Moderate
293.0Moderate
303.0Moderate
313.0Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Cape Girardeau

In seasonPeak

In October, Cape Girardeau sits inside its atlantic hurricane season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Cape Girardeau sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is October a good time to visit Cape Girardeau?

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

7.0
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
4.1
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is one of the better times to visit Cape Girardeau for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Cape Girardeau in October

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

In October, Cape Girardeau sees daytime highs around 69°F and nights near 50°F. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 8 days see rain.

UV index in Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau peaks around June 21 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 21UV 10Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1318 µg/m³Nov 128 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Cape Girardeau?

Cape Girardeau sits at 37.3°N, 89.5°W, 354 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Sikeston, 30 mi away.

Topography around Cape Girardeau

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Cape Girardeau has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 285 ft around an average of 371 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 869 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,375 ft.

The land around Cape Girardeau is covered by trees (36%) and cropland (20%) within 2 miles, trees (49%) and cropland (30%) within 10 miles, and trees (47%) and cropland (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
285 ft
10 miles
869 ft
50 miles
1,375 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Sikeston 30 mi · Carbondale 34 mi · Marion 43 mi · Paducah 53 mi · Farmington 60 mi · Poplar Bluff 62 mi · Mount Vernon 78 mi · Murray 82 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 Cape Girardeau (37.3059°, -89.5182°, elevation 354 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).