Carlsbad weather in October

In October, Carlsbad sees average daytime highs of 77°F and overnight lows near 53°F, with 1.2 in of precipitation across 4.3 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 83°F in the first days to 72°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 70% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of October to 10 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Carlsbad's 1st-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Carlsbad's year-round climate.

Daytime high
77°
7th warmest
Overnight low
53°
7th coldest
Precipitation
1.2 in
4.3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:06 AM – 5:18 PM
Cloud cover
28%
1st clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
4.83 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.1
out of 10

Carlsbad is city in and county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, United States.

Density
355/km²
people per km²
Founded
1888

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 83°F in the first days to 72°F by the end.

A typical October day in Carlsbad reaches about 77°F in the afternoon and slips back to 53°F overnight — a 24°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 65°F and 88°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 9°F cooler than September and about 12°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18359
28359
38358
48258
58257
68157
78157
88156
98056
108055
118055
127955
137954
147854
157853
167853
177753
187752
197652
207651
217551
227550
237550
247449
257449
267349
277348
287348
297247
307247
317147

How October really feels in Carlsbad

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.

Carlsbad weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 7th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan58° / 33°0.62.60.910.15.2
Feb63° / 38°0.62.80.710.86.8
Mar71° / 44°0.730.111.88.1
Apr79° / 51°0.72012.88.3
May88° / 61°1.14.1013.65.5
Jun95° / 69°0.74.1014.12.9
Jul95° / 72°1.25.3013.92.8
Aug93° / 71°1.26.2013.23.5
Sep87° / 64°1.65.2012.25.7
Oct77° / 53°1.24.30.111.28.1
Nov66° / 42°0.72.80.410.37.5
Dec58° / 34°0.72.70.99.95.2

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 70% of the time in October, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 20%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18317
28317
38317
48317
58218
68218
78218
88218
98218
108218
118218
128119
138119
148119
158119
168020
178020
188020
197921
207921
217822
227822
237723
247822
257822
267723
277723
287723
297723
307723
317723

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Carlsbad gets around 1.2 in of rain and snow over 4.3 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 13% and peaks near 14% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
114
214
314
414
514
614
714
814
914
1014
1113
1213
1313
1413
1513
1613
1713
1813
1913
2013
2113
2214
2314
2414
2514
2613
2713
2813
2913
3013
3112

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 87% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1731692
2751582
3761581
4771571
5781471
6791461
7791461
8801361
9811351
10821251
11841240
12851140
13861130
14871030
1589920
1689920
1789920
1890820
1991810
2092710
2192710
2293610
2393610
2493610
2594510
2694510
2794510
2894510
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 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
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
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of October to 10 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 60 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:55 AM to 6:19 AM, and sunset from 5:36 PM to 5:02 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.75:555:36
211.75:565:35
311.65:575:34
411.65:575:32
511.55:585:31
611.55:595:30
711.56:005:29
811.46:005:27
911.46:015:26
1011.46:025:25
1111.36:035:24
1211.36:035:22
1311.36:045:21
1411.36:055:20
1511.26:065:19
1611.26:065:18
1711.26:075:16
1811.16:085:15
1911.16:095:14
2011.16:105:13
2111.06:105:12
2211.06:115:11
2311.06:125:10
2410.96:135:09
2510.96:145:08
2610.96:145:07
2710.86:155:06
2810.86:165:05
2910.86:175:04
3010.86:185:03
3110.76:195:02

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 4.83 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.29 kWh/m² to a high of 7.86 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 4.83 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.0Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.6Bright
224.6Bright
234.6Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.3Bright
304.3Bright
314.2Bright
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Carlsbad?

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

8.1
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
7.3
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

October is one of the better times to visit Carlsbad for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Carlsbad in October

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

In October, Carlsbad sees daytime highs around 77°F and nights near 53°F. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Carlsbad in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Carlsbad peaks around June 23 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 12Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5High
Mar7Very high
Apr10Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct7High
Nov5Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Carlsbad 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 Carlsbad is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.7× the cleanest month (October, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateJul 1016 µg/m³Oct 179 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug12Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct9Good
Nov11Good
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Carlsbad?

Carlsbad sits at 32.4°N, 104.2°W, 3,100 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Hobbs, 66 mi away.

Topography around Carlsbad

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Carlsbad has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 144 ft around an average of 3,123 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 991 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,561 ft.

The land around Carlsbad is covered by artificial surfaces (39%) and shrubs (25%) within 2 miles, grassland (58%) and shrubs (24%) within 10 miles, and grassland (68%) and shrubs (21%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
144 ft
10 miles
991 ft
50 miles
5,561 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Hobbs 66 mi · Roswell 70 mi · Alamogordo 106 mi · West Odessa 109 mi · Odessa 116 mi · Horizon City 126 mi · Midland 129 mi · Socorro Mission Number 1 Colonia 132 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 Carlsbad (32.4207°, -104.2288°, elevation 3,100 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).