Elizabeth City weather in October

In October, Elizabeth City sees average daytime highs of 71°F and overnight lows near 56°F, with 3.7 in of rain across 7.6 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 9th-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 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 Elizabeth City's 2nd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Elizabeth City's year-round climate.

Daytime high
71°
6th warmest
Overnight low
56°
7th coldest
Rainfall
3.7 in
7.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
6:18 AM – 5:22 PM
Cloud cover
50%
2nd clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
3.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.1
out of 10

Elizabeth City is city in Pasquotank County and Camden County, North Carolina, United States.

Density
567/km²
people per km²
Founded
1794

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 Elizabeth City reaches about 71°F in the afternoon and slips back to 56°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 63°F and 79°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 8°F cooler than September and about 10°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17662
27662
37562
47561
57561
67460
77460
87460
97359
107359
117358
127358
137258
147257
157156
167156
177156
187155
197055
207055
216954
226954
236953
246953
256853
266852
276852
286752
296751
306751
316651

How October really feels in Elizabeth City

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.

Elizabeth City 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
Jan51° / 36°3.99.61.19.82.5
Feb53° / 37°3.49.70.810.63.0
Mar59° / 43°4.010.80.311.74.6
Apr68° / 52°3.49.7012.96.4
May75° / 60°4.011.2013.96.7
Jun83° / 69°4.412.7014.45.5
Jul86° / 73°5.116.5014.24.3
Aug84° / 72°5.214.3013.44.9
Sep80° / 67°5.011.4012.26.4
Oct71° / 56°3.77.6011.17.1
Nov62° / 46°3.78.40.110.15.5
Dec54° / 40°3.99.70.39.63.4

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% 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 44%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25446
35446
45545
55545
65545
75644
85545
95545
105545
115545
125644
135644
145743
155842
165743
175842
185941
195941
205941
215941
225842
235842
245842
255743
265743
275644
285644
295545
305545
315446

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Elizabeth City gets around 3.7 in of rain over 7.6 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 26% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
129
229
328
428
528
627
727
827
927
1027
1127
1226
1326
1426
1526
1625
1725
1825
1924
2024
2124
2224
2324
2424
2524
2625
2725
2825
2926
3026
3127

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 48% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 15% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
12517252014
22617251914
32718241813
42819241712
53019241611
63120241610
7322123159
8342123148
9352123138
10372122137
11382222126
12402221116
13422121115
14442121104
1546212094
1648202093
1750201983
1853191972
1954191872
2056181862
2159171761
2260171751
2361161751
2462161651
2563161551
2663161551
2764161451
2864161451
2965161351
3065161351
3167161241

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.

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
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 6:33 AM, and sunset from 5:43 PM to 5:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:055:43
211.66:065:42
311.66:075:40
411.56:085:39
511.56:085:37
611.46:095:36
711.46:105:34
811.46:115:33
911.36:125:31
1011.36:135:30
1111.26:145:29
1211.26:155:27
1311.26:165:26
1411.16:165:24
1511.16:175:23
1611.16:185:22
1711.06:195:20
1811.06:205:19
1910.96:215:18
2010.96:225:17
2110.96:235:15
2210.86:245:14
2310.86:255:13
2410.86:265:12
2510.76:275:11
2610.76:285:10
2710.76:295:08
2810.66:305:07
2910.66:315:06
3010.66:325:05
3110.56:335:04

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.64 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.23 kWh/m² to a high of 6.41 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.64 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.0Bright
24.0Bright
34.0Moderate
44.0Moderate
53.9Moderate
63.9Moderate
73.9Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.8Moderate
103.8Moderate
113.8Moderate
123.7Moderate
133.7Moderate
143.7Moderate
153.7Moderate
163.7Moderate
173.6Moderate
183.6Moderate
193.6Moderate
203.5Moderate
213.5Moderate
223.5Moderate
233.5Moderate
243.4Moderate
253.4Moderate
263.3Moderate
273.3Moderate
283.3Moderate
293.2Moderate
303.2Moderate
313.1Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Elizabeth City

In seasonPeak

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

Elizabeth City 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 Elizabeth City?

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 Elizabeth City for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Elizabeth City in October

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

In October, Elizabeth City sees daytime highs around 71°F and nights near 56°F. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 8 days see rain.

Sea temperature near Elizabeth City in October

The nearest coast averages about 69°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 24 mi away) is warmest in August at about 79°F and coldest in February near 46°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 28 to Oct 21 — about 4.8 months when the water holds above 68°F.

40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan49Bracing
Feb46Bracing
Mar49Bracing
Apr56Bracing
May65Cool
Jun73Refreshing
Jul78Warm
Aug79Warm
Sep76Warm
Oct69Refreshing
Nov61Cool
Dec54Bracing

UV index in Elizabeth City 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 Elizabeth City peaks around July 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 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 18UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Elizabeth City 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 Elizabeth City is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 917 µg/m³Dec 126 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar12Good
Apr12Moderate
May12Good
Jun17Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Elizabeth City?

Elizabeth City sits at 36.3°N, 76.3°W, 3 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is South Suffolk, 35 mi away.

Topography around Elizabeth City

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Elizabeth City has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 105 ft around an average of 16 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 128 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 226 ft.

The land around Elizabeth City is covered by trees (37%), cropland (26%) and grassland (25%) within 2 miles, cropland (50%) and trees (31%) within 10 miles, and trees (43%) and water (34%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
105 ft
10 miles
128 ft
50 miles
226 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
October weather nearby: South Suffolk 35 mi · Suffolk 35 mi · Chesapeake 36 mi · Portsmouth Heights 37 mi · Portsmouth 37 mi · Norfolk 38 mi · Virginia Beach 42 mi · Newport News 48 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 Elizabeth City (36.2946°, -76.2511°, elevation 3 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).