Columbus weather in October

In October, Columbus sees average daytime highs of 66°F and overnight lows near 47°F, with 3.2 in of rain across 8.5 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 72°F in the first days to 60°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% 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 Columbus's 3rd-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Columbus's year-round climate.

Daytime high
66°
6th warmest
Overnight low
47°
7th coldest
Rainfall
3.2 in
8.5 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
7:00 AM – 5:57 PM
Cloud cover
55%
3rd clearest
Wind
7 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
3.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Columbus is city in Bartholomew County, Indiana, United States.

Density
644/km²
people per km²
Founded
1820

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 60°F by the end.

A typical October day in Columbus reaches about 66°F in the afternoon and slips back to 47°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 53°F and 78°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 12°F cooler than September and about 13°F warmer than November.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17352
27252
37251
47151
57151
67150
77050
87050
96949
106949
116848
126848
136748
146747
156647
166647
176546
186546
196446
206445
216345
226345
236244
246244
256144
266143
276043
286043
296042
305942
315942

How October really feels in Columbus

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.

Columbus weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan38° / 24°3.39.33.79.60.0
Feb42° / 26°2.98.53.410.50.4
Mar53° / 35°4.110.81.611.72.8
Apr64° / 46°4.912.30.2135.4
May73° / 56°5.013.3014.16.2
Jun82° / 65°4.411.8014.75.8
Jul85° / 68°3.611.6014.55.1
Aug84° / 66°3.19.1013.55.8
Sep78° / 58°3.08.1012.37.1
Oct66° / 47°3.28.50116.2
Nov52° / 37°3.59.20.79.92.9
Dec42° / 29°3.510.23.19.30.3

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% 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 50%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16040
26040
35941
45842
55842
65743
75644
85545
95446
105446
115347
125347
135347
145149
155149
165149
175050
184951
194852
204654
214654
224555
234555
244357
254357
264357
274258
284258
294258
304258
314258

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Columbus gets around 3.2 in of rain over 8.5 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 28% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
125
225
324
424
524
624
724
824
924
1025
1125
1226
1326
1427
1527
1627
1728
1828
1929
2029
2130
2230
2331
2431
2531
2631
2731
2831
2931
3031
3131

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 81% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
16915106
26915106
37014106
47114105
57114105
6731395
7741394
8741394
9751384
10771283
11781273
12791272
13811162
14821161
15821161
16841051
17841051
18851050
19861040
20861040
2187940
2287940
2388930
2488930
2588930
2689920
2789920
2889920
2989920
3089920
3190910

Wind in October

Winds average 7 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217light breeze
227light 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 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 6:45 AM to 7:17 AM, and sunset from 6:21 PM to 5:38 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:456:21
211.66:466:19
311.56:476:17
411.56:486:16
511.46:496:14
611.46:506:12
711.36:516:11
811.36:526:09
911.26:536:08
1011.26:546:06
1111.26:556:05
1211.16:566:03
1311.16:576:02
1411.06:586:00
1511.06:595:59
1611.07:005:57
1710.97:015:56
1810.97:025:54
1910.87:035:53
2010.87:045:52
2110.77:055:50
2210.77:075:49
2310.77:085:48
2410.67:095:46
2510.67:105:45
2610.57:115:44
2710.57:125:43
2810.57:135:41
2910.47:145:40
3010.47:155:39
3110.47:175:38

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 1.72 kWh/m² to a high of 6.24 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.32 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.0Bright
24.0Bright
34.0Moderate
43.9Moderate
53.9Moderate
63.8Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.7Moderate
93.7Moderate
103.6Moderate
113.6Moderate
123.5Moderate
133.5Moderate
143.4Moderate
153.4Moderate
163.3Moderate
173.3Moderate
183.2Moderate
193.2Moderate
203.1Moderate
213.1Moderate
223.0Moderate
233.0Moderate
242.9Moderate
252.9Moderate
262.9Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.8Moderate
292.8Moderate
302.7Moderate
312.7Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Columbus?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
2.7
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Columbus for sightseeing.

What to pack for Columbus in October

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

In October, Columbus sees daytime highs around 66°F and nights near 47°F. Worth packing: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

rain gear

UV index in Columbus in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Columbus peaks around June 23 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 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Columbus 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 Columbus is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1316 µg/m³Oct 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Columbus?

Columbus sits at 39.2°N, 85.9°W, 630 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Seymour, 17 mi away.

Topography around Columbus

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Columbus has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 112 ft around an average of 623 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 463 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 ft.

The land around Columbus is covered by cropland (33%), trees (26%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 2 miles, cropland (46%) and trees (38%) within 10 miles, and trees (47%) and cropland (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
112 ft
10 miles
463 ft
50 miles
778 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Seymour 17 mi · Franklin 21 mi · Shelbyville 24 mi · Greenwood 30 mi · Bloomington 32 mi · Greenfield 41 mi · Indianapolis 41 mi · Plainfield 43 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 Columbus (39.2014°, -85.9214°, elevation 630 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).