Lancaster weather in October

In October, Lancaster sees average daytime highs of 65°F and overnight lows near 48°F, with 3.6 in of precipitation across 8.4 wet days and about 10.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 70°F in the first days to 59°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% 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 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Lancaster's 1st-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lancaster's year-round climate.

Daytime high
65°
6th warmest
Overnight low
48°
7th coldest
Precipitation
3.6 in
8.4 wet days
Daylight
10 h 54 min
6:23 AM – 5:18 PM
Cloud cover
54%
1st clearest
Wind
7 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
3.2 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.0
out of 10

Lancaster is city in central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Density
3,116/km²
people per km²
Founded
1730

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 70°F in the first days to 59°F by the end.

A typical October day in Lancaster reaches about 65°F in the afternoon and slips back to 48°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 54°F and 75°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 12°F cooler than September and about 12°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17154
27054
37053
47053
56952
66952
76852
86851
96851
106751
116750
126650
136649
146549
156549
166548
176448
186447
196347
206347
216346
226246
236246
246145
256145
266145
276044
286044
296044
305943
315943

How October really feels in Lancaster

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.

Lancaster 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
Jan39° / 26°3.19.13.99.50.0
Feb42° / 27°2.993.810.40.3
Mar51° / 34°3.910.32.911.72.4
Apr63° / 45°3.610.30.3135.3
May72° / 55°3.611.4014.26.4
Jun81° / 64°3.711.1014.86.0
Jul85° / 69°3.911.1014.65.1
Aug83° / 67°3.410.3013.65.8
Sep76° / 60°4.39.3012.36.9
Oct65° / 48°3.68.40.110.96.0
Nov53° / 38°3.08.20.49.83.2
Dec44° / 31°3.69.22.39.20.6

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in October, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 47%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25545
35545
45644
55644
65644
75743
85743
95743
105743
115743
125644
135644
145545
155446
165446
175347
185347
195248
205248
215248
225149
235050
245050
255050
265050
275050
285050
295050
305149
315149

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Lancaster gets around 3.6 in of rain and snow over 8.4 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 28% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
131
231
330
430
529
628
728
828
928
1028
1128
1228
1328
1428
1528
1628
1728
1828
1928
2028
2128
2227
2327
2427
2527
2626
2726
2826
2926
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 79% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
161171480
261171381
363161371
464161271
566161161
667161151
769151051
87015951
97115941
107215841
117415731
127514731
137614631
147814521
158013520
168113420
178213410
188312410
198312410
208411410
218510410
228710300
238710300
24889300
25889300
26898300
27898300
28898300
29898300
30917200
31917200

Wind in October

Winds average 7 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of October to 10 h 18 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 6:07 AM to 6:40 AM, and sunset from 5:42 PM to 4:58 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:075:42
211.56:085:40
311.56:095:38
411.46:105:37
511.46:115:35
611.46:125:33
711.36:135:32
811.36:145:30
911.26:155:29
1011.26:165:27
1111.16:175:26
1211.16:185:24
1311.16:195:22
1411.06:205:21
1511.06:225:19
1610.96:235:18
1710.96:245:16
1810.86:255:15
1910.86:265:14
2010.86:275:12
2110.76:285:11
2210.76:295:09
2310.66:305:08
2410.66:325:07
2510.56:335:05
2610.56:345:04
2710.56:355:03
2810.46:365:02
2910.46:375:00
3010.36:384:59
3110.36:404:58

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.2 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.81 kWh/m² to a high of 6.1 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.2 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
113.4Moderate
123.3Moderate
133.3Moderate
143.3Moderate
153.2Moderate
163.2Moderate
173.2Moderate
183.1Moderate
193.1Moderate
203.0Moderate
213.0Moderate
223.0Moderate
232.9Moderate
242.9Moderate
252.9Moderate
262.8Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.8Moderate
292.8Moderate
302.7Moderate
312.7Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Lancaster?

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

6.0
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
2.2
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Lancaster for sightseeing.

What to pack for Lancaster in October

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

In October, Lancaster sees daytime highs around 65°F and nights near 48°F. Worth packing: rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

rain gear

UV index in Lancaster 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 Lancaster peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 23UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Lancaster 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 Lancaster is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1417 µg/m³Nov 138 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Lancaster?

Lancaster sits at 40.0°N, 76.3°W, 361 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Lebanon, 22 mi away.

Topography around Lancaster

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Lancaster has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 246 ft around an average of 348 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 725 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,991 ft.

The land around Lancaster is covered by trees (48%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 2 miles, cropland (33%), trees (31%) and grassland (26%) within 10 miles, and trees (55%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
246 ft
10 miles
725 ft
50 miles
1,991 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Lebanon 22 mi · York 23 mi · Reading 29 mi · Bel Air North 34 mi · North Bel Air 35 mi · Harrisburg 35 mi · South Bel Air 35 mi · Bel Air South 37 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 Lancaster (40.0379°, -76.3055°, elevation 361 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).