Charleston weather in October

In October, Charleston sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 48°F, with 3.4 in of precipitation across 9.5 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 72°F in the first days to 62°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% 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 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Charleston's 2nd-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Charleston's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
6th warmest
Overnight low
48°
7th coldest
Precipitation
3.4 in
9.5 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
6:42 AM – 5:41 PM
Cloud cover
53%
2nd clearest
Wind
6 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
3.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.3
out of 10

Charleston is capital city of the U.S. state of West Virginia and seat of Kanawha County.

Density
554/km²
people per km²
Founded
1786

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 72°F in the first days to 62°F by the end.

A typical October day in Charleston reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 48°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 55°F and 79°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 10°F cooler than September and about 11°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17254
27253
37253
47153
57152
67152
77051
87051
97051
106950
116950
126949
136849
146849
156748
166748
176747
186647
196647
206546
216546
226546
236446
246445
256445
266345
276344
286244
296244
306243
316143

How October really feels in Charleston

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.

Charleston 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
Jan43° / 28°4.012.14.89.60.5
Feb46° / 30°3.811.94.310.51.2
Mar55° / 37°4.713.52.811.73.3
Apr67° / 47°4.313.10.5135.5
May73° / 56°5.014.6014.16.0
Jun81° / 64°4.914.2014.65.8
Jul83° / 67°5.014.2014.45.2
Aug82° / 66°3.911.5013.56.0
Sep77° / 59°3.89.4012.36.9
Oct67° / 48°3.49.50.1116.3
Nov56° / 38°3.49.919.93.7
Dec47° / 32°4.11239.41.3

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% 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 (%)
15743
25743
35743
45644
55644
65545
75545
85545
95446
105446
115347
125347
135347
145248
155248
165248
175149
185248
195248
205248
215149
225149
235050
245050
255050
264951
274951
284951
294951
304951
314852

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Charleston gets around 3.4 in of rain and snow over 9.5 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 31% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
130
229
329
429
529
629
729
830
930
1030
1131
1231
1331
1431
1531
1632
1732
1832
1932
2032
2132
2232
2333
2433
2533
2633
2733
2833
2933
3033
3133

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 78% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
15721175
25920165
36020155
46120145
56419134
66519124
76619114
86818104
9701893
10721783
11721783
12751672
13761662
14771652
15791551
16801541
17811441
18821431
19841330
20841330
21861220
22871120
23871120
24881020
25881020
26881020
2789920
2889920
2991810
3091810
3191810

Wind in October

Winds average 6 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 6 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
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of October to 10 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 72 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:27 AM to 6:58 AM, and sunset from 6:04 PM to 5:22 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:276:04
211.66:286:02
311.56:296:01
411.56:305:59
511.46:315:57
611.46:325:56
711.46:335:54
811.36:345:53
911.36:355:51
1011.26:365:50
1111.26:375:48
1211.16:385:47
1311.16:395:45
1411.16:405:44
1511.06:415:43
1611.06:425:41
1710.96:435:40
1810.96:445:38
1910.96:455:37
2010.86:465:36
2110.86:475:34
2210.76:485:33
2310.76:495:32
2410.76:505:30
2510.66:515:29
2610.66:525:28
2710.66:545:27
2810.56:555:26
2910.56:565:25
3010.46:575:23
3110.46:585:22

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.32 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.76 kWh/m² to a high of 6.09 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.32 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.7Moderate
63.7Moderate
73.7Moderate
83.6Moderate
93.6Moderate
103.6Moderate
113.5Moderate
123.5Moderate
133.4Moderate
143.4Moderate
153.4Moderate
163.3Moderate
173.3Moderate
183.2Moderate
193.2Moderate
203.1Moderate
213.1Moderate
223.1Moderate
233.0Moderate
243.0Moderate
253.0Moderate
262.9Moderate
272.9Moderate
282.9Moderate
292.8Moderate
302.8Moderate
312.8Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Charleston?

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

6.3
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
3.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Charleston for sightseeing.

What to pack for Charleston in October

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

In October, Charleston sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 48°F. Worth packing: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

rain gear

UV index in Charleston 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 Charleston peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 20UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Charleston 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 Charleston is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1418 µg/m³Dec 147 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar9Good
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Charleston?

Charleston sits at 38.3°N, 81.6°W, 597 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Huntington, 44 mi away.

Topography around Charleston

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Charleston has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 623 ft around an average of 814 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,148 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,002 ft.

The land around Charleston is covered by trees (63%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 2 miles, trees (89%) within 10 miles, and trees (93%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
623 ft
10 miles
1,148 ft
50 miles
3,002 ft
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Huntington 44 mi · Beckley 47 mi · Ashland 55 mi · Meads 58 mi · Parkersburg 63 mi · Athens 72 mi · Portsmouth 78 mi · Clarksburg 94 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 Charleston (38.3498°, -81.6326°, elevation 597 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).