Durham weather in October

In October, Durham sees average daytime highs of 71°F and overnight lows near 53°F, with 3.1 in of rain across 7.5 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 75°F in the first days to 67°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% 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 Durham's 1st-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Durham's year-round climate.

Daytime high
71°
6th warmest
Overnight low
53°
7th coldest
Rainfall
3.1 in
7.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
6:29 AM – 5:33 PM
Cloud cover
48%
1st clearest
Wind
6 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
3.63 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.1
out of 10

Durham is county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, United States.

Density
919/km²
people per km²
Founded
1869

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 67°F by the end.

A typical October day in Durham reaches about 71°F in the afternoon and slips back to 53°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 61°F and 81°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 10°F cooler than September and about 10°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17659
27658
37558
47558
57557
67457
77456
87456
97355
107355
117355
127254
137254
147253
157153
167152
177152
187051
197051
207051
216950
226950
236949
246949
256849
266848
276748
286748
296747
306647
316647

How October really feels in Durham

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.

Durham 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
Jan50° / 33°3.69.41.49.82.4
Feb54° / 35°3.28.91.310.63.3
Mar62° / 42°4.310.50.511.75.2
Apr71° / 51°3.59.3012.96.7
May78° / 60°3.410.6013.96.6
Jun85° / 68°3.912014.45.0
Jul88° / 71°4.314.9014.23.9
Aug86° / 70°3.911.6013.44.7
Sep81° / 64°4.49.4012.26.4
Oct71° / 53°3.17.5011.17.1
Nov61° / 42°3.37.70.110.15.5
Dec53° / 36°3.59.20.69.63.2

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% 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 42%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25347
35347
45347
55446
65545
75545
85545
95644
105644
115644
125743
135842
145842
155941
166040
176139
186238
196238
206238
216337
226238
236238
246238
256238
266139
276040
285941
295941
305842
315842

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Durham gets around 3.1 in of rain over 7.5 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 rain averages around 25% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
128
228
328
427
527
627
727
826
926
1026
1126
1226
1325
1425
1525
1624
1724
1823
1923
2023
2123
2223
2323
2423
2523
2624
2724
2824
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 61% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 8% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1362220175
2372220165
3392219145
4412218135
5432218124
6452217114
7472217104
849221694
952221583
1052221583
1154221473
1257211462
1358211362
1460201352
1561201252
1664191241
1765191141
1866181141
1968181130
2070171030
2170171030
2271161030
237216930
247315930
257415920
267514920
277514920
287514920
297713820
307713820
317812820

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 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 6:15 AM to 6:43 AM, and sunset from 5:54 PM to 5:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:155:54
211.66:165:52
311.66:175:51
411.56:185:49
511.56:195:48
611.46:205:46
711.46:215:45
811.46:215:44
911.36:225:42
1011.36:235:41
1111.36:245:39
1211.26:255:38
1311.26:265:37
1411.16:275:35
1511.16:285:34
1611.16:295:33
1711.06:295:31
1811.06:305:30
1911.06:315:29
2010.96:325:28
2110.96:335:26
2210.96:345:25
2310.86:355:24
2410.86:365:23
2510.76:375:22
2610.76:385:21
2710.76:395:19
2810.66:405:18
2910.66:415:17
3010.66:425:16
3110.56:435:15

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.63 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.24 kWh/m² to a high of 6.15 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.63 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.0Moderate
23.9Moderate
33.9Moderate
43.9Moderate
53.8Moderate
63.8Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.7Moderate
103.7Moderate
113.7Moderate
123.7Moderate
133.7Moderate
143.6Moderate
153.6Moderate
163.6Moderate
173.6Moderate
183.6Moderate
193.6Moderate
203.5Moderate
213.5Moderate
223.5Moderate
233.5Moderate
243.4Moderate
253.4Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.3Moderate
283.3Moderate
293.3Moderate
303.2Moderate
313.2Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Durham?

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

7.1
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
4.7
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Durham in October

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

In October, Durham sees daytime highs around 71°F and nights near 53°F. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 8 days see rain.

UV index in Durham in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 5 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Durham peaks around July 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 13UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Durham 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 Durham is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1718 µg/m³Nov 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Durham?

Durham sits at 36.0°N, 78.9°W, 404 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Chapel Hill, 11 mi away.

Topography around Durham

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Durham has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 184 ft around an average of 374 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 614 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,122 ft.

The land around Durham is covered by trees (61%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 2 miles, trees (78%) within 10 miles, and trees (78%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
184 ft
10 miles
614 ft
50 miles
1,122 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Chapel Hill 11 mi · Carrboro 11 mi · Morrisville 12 mi · Cary 16 mi · Apex 18 mi · West Raleigh 19 mi · Raleigh 21 mi · Wake Forest 22 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 Durham (35.994°, -78.8986°, elevation 404 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).