Dubuque weather in October

In October, Dubuque sees average daytime highs of 60°F and overnight lows near 42°F, with 2.7 in of precipitation across 8.6 wet days and about 10.8 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 66°F in the first days to 53°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 30 min at the start of October to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Dubuque's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dubuque's year-round climate.

Daytime high
60°
6th warmest
Overnight low
42°
7th coldest
Precipitation
2.7 in
8.6 wet days
Daylight
10 h 48 min
6:23 AM – 5:12 PM
Cloud cover
57%
4th clearest
Wind
8 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
3.03 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.9
out of 10

Dubuque is city in and county seat of Dubuque, Iowa, United States.

Density
719/km²
people per km²
Founded
1788

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 66°F in the first days to 53°F by the end.

A typical October day in Dubuque reaches about 60°F in the afternoon and slips back to 42°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 47°F and 73°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 13°F cooler than September and about 15°F warmer than November.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16748
26648
36647
46547
56547
66546
76446
86445
96345
106345
116244
126244
136143
146143
156043
166042
175942
185942
195841
205841
215741
225740
235640
245640
255539
265539
275438
285438
295338
305337
315237

How October really feels in Dubuque

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 4 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
4
wind chill below the day's low

The story in October is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Dubuque 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
Jan28° / 13°1.57.469.20.0
Feb32° / 17°1.76.6510.30.0
Mar45° / 29°2.593.411.61.1
Apr58° / 40°4.211.71.113.14.0
May69° / 51°4.412.7014.45.9
Jun78° / 61°4.712015.16.4
Jul82° / 65°3.89.9014.86.5
Aug80° / 63°3.89.7013.76.8
Sep73° / 55°3.68.3012.37.1
Oct60° / 42°2.78.60.410.84.9
Nov45° / 31°2.37.529.61.1
Dec33° / 20°1.97.75.48.90.0

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 11% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 52%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15545
25545
35545
45446
55446
65446
75347
85347
95347
105248
115149
125149
135050
145050
154852
164852
174753
184654
194654
204456
214456
224357
234357
244258
254258
264258
274159
284159
294258
304159
314159

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitationSnow

Dubuque gets around 2.7 in of rain and snow over 8.6 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 27% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1280
2280
3270
4270
5270
6270
7270
8270
9270
10270
11270
12270
13270
14271
15271
16271
17271
18281
19281
20281
21282
22282
23282
24282
25272
26272
27272
28273
29273
30273
31263

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 91% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1801163
2821062
384952
484952
585852
686842
787742
887742
989641
1090631
1190631
1291531
1392521
1492521
1592521
1693520
1794420
1894420
1994420
2094420
2195410
2295410
2395410
2496310
2596310
2696310
2796310
2896310
2997210
3097210
3197210

Wind in October

Winds average 8 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
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
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of October to 10 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 78 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:05 AM to 6:42 AM, and sunset from 5:38 PM to 4:51 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:055:38
211.56:065:36
311.46:085:34
411.46:095:33
511.36:105:31
611.36:115:29
711.36:125:27
811.26:135:26
911.26:155:24
1011.16:165:22
1111.16:175:21
1211.06:185:19
1311.06:195:17
1410.96:215:16
1510.96:225:14
1610.86:235:12
1710.86:245:11
1810.76:255:09
1910.76:275:08
2010.66:285:06
2110.66:295:05
2210.56:305:03
2310.56:325:02
2410.56:335:00
2510.46:344:59
2610.46:354:57
2710.36:374:56
2810.36:384:55
2910.26:394:53
3010.26:404:52
3110.26:424:51

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.03 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.62 kWh/m² to a high of 6.3 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.03 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.7Moderate
23.7Moderate
33.6Moderate
43.6Moderate
53.6Moderate
63.5Moderate
73.5Moderate
83.5Moderate
93.4Moderate
103.4Moderate
113.3Moderate
123.3Moderate
133.2Moderate
143.2Moderate
153.1Moderate
163.1Moderate
173.0Moderate
183.0Moderate
192.9Moderate
202.9Moderate
212.8Moderate
222.8Moderate
232.7Moderate
242.7Moderate
252.6Moderate
262.6Moderate
272.5Moderate
282.5Moderate
292.5Moderate
302.5Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Dubuque?

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

4.9
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
0.9
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Dubuque for sightseeing.

What to pack for Dubuque in October

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

In October, Dubuque sees daytime highs around 60°F and nights near 42°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Dubuque 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 Dubuque peaks around June 18 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 18UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Dubuque 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 Dubuque is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 1915 µg/m³Oct 227 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May12Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Dubuque?

Dubuque sits at 42.5°N, 90.7°W, 620 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Clinton, 52 mi away.

Topography around Dubuque

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Dubuque has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 328 ft around an average of 715 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 633 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 896 ft.

The land around Dubuque is covered by artificial surfaces (36%) and trees (34%) within 2 miles, cropland (35%), trees (34%) and grassland (20%) within 10 miles, and cropland (57%) and trees (26%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
328 ft
10 miles
633 ft
50 miles
896 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Clinton 52 mi · Freeport 55 mi · Marion 58 mi · Cedar Rapids 60 mi · Davenport 68 mi · Bettendorf 68 mi · Fitchburg 68 mi · Rock Island 68 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 Dubuque (42.5006°, -90.6646°, elevation 620 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).