Madison weather in October

In October, Madison sees average daytime highs of 72°F and overnight lows near 52°F, with 3.4 in of rain across 7.1 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 77°F in the first days to 67°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of October to 10 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Madison's 1st-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Madison's year-round climate.

Daytime high
72°
6th warmest
Overnight low
52°
7th coldest
Rainfall
3.4 in
7.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
5:59 AM – 5:05 PM
Cloud cover
45%
1st clearest
Wind
6 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
3.82 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.3
out of 10

Madison is city in Alabama, United States.

Density
610/km²
people per km²
Founded
1818

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 77°F in the first days to 67°F by the end.

A typical October day in Madison reaches about 72°F in the afternoon and slips back to 52°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 62°F and 81°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 10°F cooler than September and about 11°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17858
27758
37757
47757
57657
67656
77656
87555
97555
107455
117454
127454
137353
147353
157353
167252
177252
187151
197151
207151
217050
227050
237050
246949
256949
266849
276848
286848
296748
306747
316647

How October really feels in Madison

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.

Madison weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan50° / 34°5.010.10.79.92.2
Feb54° / 37°4.810.70.910.73.1
Mar62° / 44°5.611.60.311.75.2
Apr71° / 52°5.010.2012.86.5
May79° / 61°4.110.8013.86.5
Jun85° / 69°4.112.9014.34.8
Jul88° / 72°4.313.2014.14.2
Aug88° / 71°3.111.1013.34.5
Sep83° / 64°3.57.4012.26.3
Oct72° / 52°3.47.1011.17.3
Nov61° / 42°4.18.9010.25.2
Dec53° / 37°5.410.80.39.72.8

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in October, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16535
26535
36535
46634
56535
66535
76436
86436
96337
106337
116238
126238
136238
146139
156238
166238
176139
186139
196139
206040
216040
226040
235941
245941
255842
265842
275743
285743
295644
305644
315644

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Madison gets around 3.4 in of rain over 7.1 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 23% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
121
221
321
421
521
621
722
822
923
1023
1124
1224
1324
1424
1524
1624
1724
1823
1923
2023
2123
2224
2324
2424
2524
2625
2725
2826
2926
3027
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 59% 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 (%)
1392023163
2402022152
3412021152
4432121142
5442120141
6452120131
7462119121
8472219121
9482118111
10502118101
1152201891
1254201781
1355191781
1457191671
1559181661
1660181561
1763171550
1865171440
1965171440
2067161340
2168161240
2268161240
2369161140
2470151140
2571151040
2671151040
277215940
287215940
297314940
307414840
317513840

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 42 min at the start of October to 10 h 36 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 5:46 AM to 6:12 AM, and sunset from 5:26 PM to 4:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.75:465:26
211.65:475:24
311.65:485:23
411.55:495:21
511.55:495:20
611.55:505:19
711.45:515:17
811.45:525:16
911.45:535:15
1011.35:545:13
1111.35:545:12
1211.35:555:11
1311.25:565:09
1411.25:575:08
1511.15:585:07
1611.15:595:05
1711.16:005:04
1811.06:005:03
1911.06:015:02
2011.06:025:01
2110.96:034:59
2210.96:044:58
2310.96:054:57
2410.86:064:56
2510.86:074:55
2610.86:084:54
2710.76:094:53
2810.76:094:52
2910.76:104:51
3010.66:114:50
3110.66:124:49

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.82 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 6.2 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.82 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.3Bright
24.3Bright
34.3Bright
44.3Bright
54.2Bright
64.2Bright
74.1Bright
84.1Bright
94.1Bright
104.0Bright
114.0Moderate
124.0Moderate
133.9Moderate
143.9Moderate
153.9Moderate
163.8Moderate
173.8Moderate
183.8Moderate
193.7Moderate
203.7Moderate
213.6Moderate
223.6Moderate
233.6Moderate
243.5Moderate
253.5Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.4Moderate
283.4Moderate
293.3Moderate
303.3Moderate
313.2Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Madison?

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

7.3
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
5.2
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Madison in October

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

In October, Madison sees daytime highs around 72°F and nights near 52°F. Worth packing: light clothes. About 7 days see rain.

light clothes

UV index in Madison 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 Madison peaks around July 12 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highVery highHighModerateJul 12UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Madison 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 Madison is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.3× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1719 µg/m³Jan 116 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar10Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Madison?

Madison sits at 34.7°N, 86.7°W, 705 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Huntsville, 9.3 mi away.

Topography around Madison

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Madison has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 312 ft around an average of 696 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 735 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,611 ft.

The land around Madison is covered by trees (43%), artificial surfaces (30%) and grassland (20%) within 2 miles, trees (43%), grassland (22%) and cropland (20%) within 10 miles, and trees (60%) and grassland (25%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
312 ft
10 miles
735 ft
50 miles
1,611 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Huntsville 9.3 mi · Athens 14 mi · Decatur 15 mi · Cullman 37 mi · Albertville 43 mi · East Florence 52 mi · Florence 53 mi · Tullahoma 55 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 Madison (34.6993°, -86.7483°, elevation 705 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).