Erie weather in October

In October, Erie sees average daytime highs of 58°F and overnight lows near 51°F, with 4.9 in of precipitation across 14.5 wet days and about 10.8 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 63°F in the first days to 52°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% 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 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Erie's 6th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Erie's year-round climate.

Daytime high
58°
6th warmest
Overnight low
51°
7th coldest
Precipitation
4.9 in
14.5 wet days
Daylight
10 h 48 min
6:40 AM – 5:31 PM
Cloud cover
60%
6th clearest
Wind
13 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.9 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Erie is city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Density
1,992/km²
people per km²
Founded
1795

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 63°F in the first days to 52°F by the end.

A typical October day in Erie reaches about 58°F in the afternoon and slips back to 51°F overnight — a 7°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 49°F and 67°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 11°F cooler than September and about 11°F warmer than November.

30°40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16456
26356
36355
46355
56255
66254
76254
86153
96153
106053
116052
126052
135952
145951
155851
165850
175750
185750
195649
205649
215649
225548
235548
245447
255447
265447
275346
285346
295246
305245
315245

How October really feels in Erie

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.

Erie weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 24°4.416.613.39.30.0
Feb32° / 22°3.011.98.910.30.0
Mar37° / 28°3.712.2611.60.0
Apr47° / 39°4.313.1213.11.3
May59° / 51°3.912.6014.44.3
Jun71° / 64°4.513.10156.3
Jul76° / 69°4.813.5014.86.6
Aug75° / 68°4.412.6013.76.8
Sep69° / 62°4.211.1012.36.3
Oct58° / 51°4.914.50.110.83.9
Nov47° / 40°4.915.54.49.61.2
Dec38° / 31°5.117.811.290.0

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25446
35446
45446
55446
65347
75347
85248
95149
105149
115149
125050
134951
144852
154852
164654
174555
184456
194456
204357
214258
224159
234159
243961
253961
263862
273862
283862
293763
303763
313763

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitationSnow

Erie gets around 4.9 in of rain and snow over 14.5 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 47% and peaks near 51% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1440
2440
3440
4440
5440
6440
7440
8440
9440
10440
11440
12440
13450
14450
15460
16460
17470
18480
19490
20500
21500
22500
23510
24511
25511
26501
27501
28502
29492
30492
31483

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 83% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
16223114
26422104
36521104
4662194
5692083
6692083
7711973
8731863
9761752
10771652
11791542
12801442
13821431
14841321
15851221
16871111
17881110
18891010
1991900
2092800
2192800
2293700
2393700
2494600
2594600
2695500
2795500
2896400
2996400
3096400
3197300

Wind in October

Winds average 13 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 12 mph on the calmest days to 14 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812breezy
913breezy
1013breezy
1113breezy
1213breezy
1313breezy
1413breezy
1513breezy
1613breezy
1713breezy
1813breezy
1913breezy
2013breezy
2113breezy
2214breezy
2314breezy
2414breezy
2514breezy
2614breezy
2714breezy
2814breezy
2914breezy
3014breezy
3114breezy

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 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 84 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:23 AM to 6:59 AM, and sunset from 5:56 PM to 5:09 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:235:56
211.56:245:54
311.56:255:52
411.46:265:51
511.46:275:49
611.36:285:47
711.36:305:45
811.26:315:44
911.26:325:42
1011.16:335:40
1111.16:345:39
1211.06:355:37
1311.06:375:35
1410.96:385:34
1510.96:395:32
1610.86:405:31
1710.86:415:29
1810.76:435:27
1910.76:445:26
2010.76:455:24
2110.66:465:23
2210.66:475:21
2310.56:495:20
2410.56:505:19
2510.46:515:17
2610.46:525:16
2710.36:545:14
2810.36:555:13
2910.36:565:12
3010.26:575:10
3110.26:595:09

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 2.9 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.26 kWh/m² to a high of 6.54 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 2.9 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.6Moderate
23.6Moderate
33.5Moderate
43.5Moderate
53.5Moderate
63.4Moderate
73.4Moderate
83.3Moderate
93.3Moderate
103.2Moderate
113.2Moderate
123.1Moderate
133.1Moderate
143.0Moderate
153.0Moderate
162.9Moderate
172.9Moderate
182.8Moderate
192.7Moderate
202.7Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.5Moderate
242.5Moderate
252.5Moderate
262.4Moderate
272.4Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.3Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Erie?

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

3.9
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
0.4
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Erie.

What to pack for Erie in October

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

In October, Erie sees daytime highs around 58°F and nights near 51°F. Pack rain gear. Worth having: a warm layer and a windbreaker. About 15 days see rain.

rain geara warm layera windbreaker

Sea temperature near Erie in October

The nearest coast averages about 61°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 15 mi away) is warmest in August at about 74°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 4 to Sep 21 — about 2.6 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan36Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar34Bracing
Apr39Bracing
May49Bracing
Jun63Cool
Jul72Refreshing
Aug74Refreshing
Sep70Refreshing
Oct61Cool
Nov51Bracing
Dec43Bracing

UV index in Erie 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 Erie peaks around June 20 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 20UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low
Location & terrain

Where is Erie?

Erie sits at 42.1°N, 80.1°W, 653 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ashtabula, 40 mi away.

Topography around Erie

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Erie has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 276 ft around an average of 650 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 981 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,611 ft.

The land around Erie is covered by artificial surfaces (47%) and water (29%) within 2 miles, water (45%) and trees (33%) within 10 miles, and water (44%) and trees (41%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
276 ft
10 miles
981 ft
50 miles
1,611 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Ashtabula 40 mi · Jamestown 43 mi · Norfolk County 51 mi · Tillsonburg 60 mi · Hermitage 65 mi · Painesville 66 mi · Port Colborne 69 mi · Brantford 70 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 Erie (42.1292°, -80.0851°, elevation 653 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. 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).