Grand Rapids weather in October

In October, Grand Rapids sees average daytime highs of 59°F and overnight lows near 43°F, with 3.4 in of precipitation across 11.4 wet days and about 10.8 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 65°F in the first days to 53°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% 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 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Grand Rapids's 6th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Grand Rapids's year-round climate.

Daytime high
59°
6th warmest
Overnight low
43°
7th coldest
Precipitation
3.4 in
11.4 wet days
Daylight
10 h 48 min
7:04 AM – 5:52 PM
Cloud cover
63%
6th clearest
Wind
8 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
2.83 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.4
out of 10

Grand Rapids is city in and seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States.

Density
1,662/km²
people per km²
Founded
1850

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 65°F in the first days to 53°F by the end.

A typical October day in Grand Rapids reaches about 59°F in the afternoon and slips back to 43°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 48°F and 71°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 13°F cooler than September and about 13°F warmer than November.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16648
26547
36547
46447
56446
66446
76346
86346
96245
106245
116245
126144
136144
146044
156043
165943
175943
185842
195842
205742
215742
225641
235641
245541
255540
265440
275440
285339
295339
305339
315238

How October really feels in Grand Rapids

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.

Grand Rapids weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 19°2.410.510.19.20.0
Feb33° / 19°1.98.16.510.20.0
Mar44° / 28°2.59.4411.60.9
Apr57° / 38°4.012.11.713.13.7
May68° / 49°4.311.9014.46.0
Jun77° / 59°3.811.3015.16.6
Jul81° / 63°3.810.9014.86.5
Aug79° / 61°3.610.5013.86.7
Sep72° / 54°3.19.3012.36.8
Oct59° / 43°3.411.40.210.84.4
Nov46° / 34°2.7102.79.51.2
Dec35° / 25°2.310.88.18.90.0

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 59%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
25050
34951
44951
54951
64852
74852
84852
94753
104753
114555
124654
134555
144456
154357
164258
174060
183862
193862
203763
213664
223565
233466
243466
253367
263367
273367
283169
293268
303268
313268

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitationSnow

Grand Rapids gets around 3.4 in of rain and snow over 11.4 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 36% and peaks near 39% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1360
2360
3360
4350
5350
6350
7340
8340
9340
10330
11330
12330
13330
14330
15330
16341
17351
18351
19361
20371
21371
22381
23381
24391
25391
26392
27392
28392
29392
30382
31383

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 (%)
1811252
2821152
3821152
4831052
584952
686941
787841
887841
988741
1088741
1190631
1290631
1391531
1493520
1593520
1693520
1793520
1893520
1994510
2094510
2194510
2294510
2394510
2495410
2595410
2695410
2795410
2895410
2996400
3097300
3197300

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
238light breeze
248light 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 06 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 6:46 AM to 7:23 AM, and sunset from 6:18 PM to 5:30 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:466:18
211.56:476:16
311.46:486:14
411.46:496:12
511.36:506:11
611.36:516:09
711.26:536:07
811.26:546:05
911.16:556:04
1011.16:566:02
1111.06:576:00
1211.06:595:58
1310.97:005:57
1410.97:015:55
1510.97:025:53
1610.87:045:52
1710.87:055:50
1810.77:065:49
1910.77:075:47
2010.67:095:45
2110.67:105:44
2210.57:115:42
2310.57:125:41
2410.47:145:39
2510.47:155:38
2610.37:165:37
2710.37:175:35
2810.37:195:34
2910.27:205:32
3010.27:215:31
3110.17:235:30

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 2.83 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.3 kWh/m² to a high of 6.53 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 2.83 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.6Moderate
23.5Moderate
33.5Moderate
43.5Moderate
53.4Moderate
63.4Moderate
73.3Moderate
83.3Moderate
93.2Moderate
103.2Moderate
113.1Moderate
123.0Moderate
133.0Moderate
143.0Moderate
152.9Moderate
162.8Moderate
172.8Moderate
182.7Moderate
192.7Moderate
202.6Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.5Moderate
232.5Moderate
242.5Moderate
252.4Moderate
262.4Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.2Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Grand Rapids?

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

4.4
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
0.7
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Grand Rapids for sightseeing.

What to pack for Grand Rapids in October

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

In October, Grand Rapids sees daytime highs around 59°F and nights near 43°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Grand Rapids in October

The nearest coast averages about 58°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 36 mi away) is warmest in August at about 71°F and coldest in March near 36°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 20 to Sep 8 — about 1.7 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan39Bracing
Feb37Bracing
Mar36Bracing
Apr38Bracing
May44Bracing
Jun56Bracing
Jul68Cool
Aug71Refreshing
Sep67Cool
Oct58Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec43Bracing

UV index in Grand Rapids 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 Grand Rapids peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 9Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Grand Rapids?

Grand Rapids sits at 43.0°N, 85.7°W, 640 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Wyoming, 3.7 mi away.

Topography around Grand Rapids

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Grand Rapids has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 203 ft around an average of 679 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 364 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 810 ft.

The land around Grand Rapids is covered by artificial surfaces (59%) and trees (31%) within 2 miles, trees (50%), grassland (22%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 10 miles, and trees (47%) and cropland (25%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
203 ft
10 miles
364 ft
50 miles
810 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Wyoming 3.7 mi · Walker 5.6 mi · Grandville 6.2 mi · Kentwood 6.8 mi · Jenison 7.5 mi · Forest Hills 9.3 mi · Allendale 14 mi · Holland 25 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 Grand Rapids (42.9634°, -85.6681°, elevation 640 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).