Charlottesville weather in October

In October, Charlottesville sees average daytime highs of 68°F and overnight lows near 48°F, with 3.3 in of rain across 7.3 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 73°F in the first days to 64°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% 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 Charlottesville's 1st-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Charlottesville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
68°
6th warmest
Overnight low
48°
7th coldest
Rainfall
3.3 in
7.3 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
6:29 AM – 5:29 PM
Cloud cover
50%
1st clearest
Wind
5 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
3.48 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Charlottesville is independent city in Virginia, United States.

Density
1,754/km²
people per km²
Founded
1762

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 73°F in the first days to 64°F by the end.

A typical October day in Charlottesville reaches about 68°F in the afternoon and slips back to 48°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 57°F and 79°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 11°F cooler than September and about 11°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17454
27354
37353
47353
57253
67252
77152
87151
97151
107050
117050
127049
136949
146949
156948
166848
176847
186747
196747
206746
216646
226646
236645
246545
256544
266544
276444
286443
296443
306343
316342

How October really feels in Charlottesville

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.

Charlottesville weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan45° / 29°3.18.22.79.71.1
Feb49° / 30°2.88.12.610.52.0
Mar57° / 37°3.910.21.611.74.1
Apr68° / 47°3.49.60.1136.2
May75° / 56°3.511.20146.6
Jun83° / 64°3.210.9014.65.5
Jul87° / 69°3.311.6014.44.5
Aug85° / 67°3.19.5013.55.2
Sep79° / 60°4.28.7012.36.8
Oct68° / 48°3.37.30116.8
Nov57° / 38°3.17.40.29.94.4
Dec48° / 32°3.48.21.69.41.9

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% 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 43%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25644
35743
45743
55743
65743
75842
85842
95743
105743
115743
125743
135842
145842
155842
165842
175941
185842
195842
205842
215842
225743
235743
245743
255743
265743
275644
285644
295644
305644
315644

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Charlottesville gets around 3.3 in of rain over 7.3 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 24% and peaks near 26% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
126
225
325
424
524
624
723
823
923
1024
1124
1224
1324
1425
1525
1625
1724
1824
1924
2024
2124
2225
2325
2425
2525
2625
2725
2825
2925
3025
3125

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 77% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1541916101
257181591
359171581
460171481
562161471
665151361
766151261
867151251
969141151
1071141041
117214941
127413931
137513831
147713721
157813621
167912621
178112511
188212510
198411410
208411410
218411410
228610310
238610310
248710300
25889300
26889300
27889300
28898300
29898300
30898300
31907300

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 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 6:15 AM to 6:45 AM, and sunset from 5:51 PM to 5:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:155:51
211.66:155:50
311.56:165:48
411.56:175:47
511.46:185:45
611.46:195:43
711.46:205:42
811.36:215:40
911.36:225:39
1011.26:235:37
1111.26:245:36
1211.26:255:35
1311.16:265:33
1411.16:275:32
1511.06:285:30
1611.06:295:29
1711.06:305:27
1810.96:315:26
1910.96:325:25
2010.86:335:23
2110.86:345:22
2210.86:355:21
2310.76:365:20
2410.76:375:18
2510.66:385:17
2610.66:395:16
2710.66:405:15
2810.56:415:14
2910.56:435:12
3010.56:445:11
3110.46:455:10

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.48 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.11 kWh/m² to a high of 6.16 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.48 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.8Moderate
63.8Moderate
73.7Moderate
83.7Moderate
93.7Moderate
103.6Moderate
113.6Moderate
123.6Moderate
133.6Moderate
143.5Moderate
153.5Moderate
163.5Moderate
173.5Moderate
183.4Moderate
193.4Moderate
203.4Moderate
213.3Moderate
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

Is October a good time to visit Charlottesville?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
3.6
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Charlottesville for sightseeing.

What to pack for Charlottesville in October

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

In October, Charlottesville sees daytime highs around 68°F and nights near 48°F. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 7 days see rain.

UV index in Charlottesville 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 Charlottesville peaks around June 22 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Charlottesville 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 Charlottesville is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Nov 187 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr14Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Charlottesville?

Charlottesville sits at 38.0°N, 78.5°W, 466 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Waynesboro, 22 mi away.

Topography around Charlottesville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Charlottesville has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 915 ft around an average of 466 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,529 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,416 ft.

The land around Charlottesville is covered by trees (67%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 2 miles, trees (76%) and grassland (20%) within 10 miles, and trees (75%) and grassland (20%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
915 ft
10 miles
1,529 ft
50 miles
4,416 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
October weather nearby: Waynesboro 22 mi · Staunton 34 mi · Harrisonburg 36 mi · Culpeper 40 mi · Short Pump 54 mi · Lynchburg 56 mi · West Lynchburg 58 mi · Midlothian 58 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 Charlottesville (38.0293°, -78.4767°, elevation 466 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).