Chesapeake weather in October

In October, Chesapeake sees average daytime highs of 71°F and overnight lows near 55°F, with 3.7 in of rain across 7.9 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 75°F in the first days to 66°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 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Chesapeake's 1st-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chesapeake's year-round climate.

Daytime high
71°
6th warmest
Overnight low
55°
7th coldest
Rainfall
3.7 in
7.9 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
6:19 AM – 5:21 PM
Cloud cover
50%
1st clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
3.58 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

Chesapeake is independent city in Virginia, United States.

Density
259/km²
people per km²
Founded
1963

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 66°F by the end.

A typical October day in Chesapeake reaches about 71°F in the afternoon and slips back to 55°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 62°F and 80°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 9°F cooler than September and about 10°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17561
27561
37560
47460
57460
67459
77459
87358
97358
107358
117257
127257
137256
147156
157155
167155
177055
187054
197054
206953
216953
226953
236852
246852
256751
266751
276751
286750
296650
306650
316549

How October really feels in Chesapeake

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.

Chesapeake 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
Jan49° / 34°3.49.11.39.82.2
Feb52° / 35°3.091.110.62.8
Mar59° / 42°3.910.40.511.74.5
Apr68° / 51°3.39.7012.96.4
May75° / 59°3.710.9013.96.7
Jun83° / 68°4.111.7014.55.6
Jul87° / 73°5.215.1014.34.3
Aug85° / 71°4.712.9013.45.0
Sep80° / 66°4.711.1012.26.4
Oct71° / 55°3.77.90117.0
Nov61° / 45°3.48.50.1105.3
Dec53° / 38°3.59.30.59.53.2

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 13% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 44%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25347
35446
45446
55446
65545
75545
85545
95545
105545
115644
125644
135644
145743
155743
165842
175941
185941
195941
205941
215941
225941
235941
245842
255842
265842
275743
285644
295545
305545
315446

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Chesapeake gets around 3.7 in of rain 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 rain averages around 27% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
130
229
328
428
527
627
727
827
927
1027
1127
1227
1327
1427
1527
1626
1726
1826
1926
2026
2126
2226
2326
2426
2526
2627
2727
2828
2929
3029
3130

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 52% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 12% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
12819241811
22920231710
33120231710
4322023169
5342122158
6352122148
7372221137
8382220136
9402220126
10412219125
11432219115
12452218104
13472217104
1449221793
1552221682
1654211582
1755211572
1859201461
1959201461
2061191451
2163181351
2263181351
2365171251
2467171240
2569161140
2669161140
2770161040
2870161040
297116940
307116940
317216840

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 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 6:05 AM to 6:34 AM, and sunset from 5:43 PM to 5:03 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:055:43
211.66:065:41
311.56:075:40
411.56:085:38
511.56:095:37
611.46:105:35
711.46:115:34
811.46:115:33
911.36:125:31
1011.36:135:30
1111.26:145:28
1211.26:155:27
1311.26:165:25
1411.16:175:24
1511.16:185:23
1611.06:195:21
1711.06:205:20
1811.06:215:19
1910.96:225:17
2010.96:235:16
2110.96:245:15
2210.86:255:14
2310.86:265:12
2410.76:275:11
2510.76:285:10
2610.76:295:09
2710.66:305:08
2810.66:315:07
2910.66:325:06
3010.56:335:05
3110.56:345:03

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.58 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 6.42 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.58 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.0Moderate
24.0Moderate
33.9Moderate
43.9Moderate
53.9Moderate
63.9Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.8Moderate
103.7Moderate
113.7Moderate
123.7Moderate
133.6Moderate
143.6Moderate
153.6Moderate
163.6Moderate
173.6Moderate
183.5Moderate
193.5Moderate
203.5Moderate
213.4Moderate
223.4Moderate
233.4Moderate
243.3Moderate
253.3Moderate
263.3Moderate
273.2Moderate
283.2Moderate
293.1Moderate
303.1Moderate
313.1Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Chesapeake

In seasonPeak

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

Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake?

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
4.5
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Chesapeake in October

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

In October, Chesapeake sees daytime highs around 71°F and nights near 55°F. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 8 days see rain.

Sea temperature near Chesapeake in October

The nearest coast averages about 68°F in October — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 22 mi away) is warmest in August at about 78°F and coldest in February near 43°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 3 to Oct 16 — about 4.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan46Bracing
Feb43Bracing
Mar46Bracing
Apr53Bracing
May63Cool
Jun72Refreshing
Jul77Warm
Aug78Warm
Sep75Warm
Oct68Refreshing
Nov59Cool
Dec52Bracing

UV index in Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake peaks around July 12 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 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 highHighModerateJul 12UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Nov 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr12Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Chesapeake?

Chesapeake sits at 36.8°N, 76.3°W, 10 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Portsmouth, 1.9 mi away.

Topography around Chesapeake

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Chesapeake has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 79 ft around an average of 13 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 194 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 230 ft.

The land around Chesapeake is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and trees (28%) within 2 miles, trees (48%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 10 miles, and trees (41%) and water (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
79 ft
10 miles
194 ft
50 miles
230 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
October weather nearby: Portsmouth 1.9 mi · Norfolk 1.9 mi · Portsmouth Heights 5.0 mi · Newport News 14 mi · Hampton 15 mi · East Hampton 16 mi · Virginia Beach 17 mi · Suffolk 18 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 Chesapeake (36.819°, -76.2749°, elevation 10 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). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).