Memphis weather in October

In October, Memphis sees average daytime highs of 73°F and overnight lows near 53°F, with 4.0 in of rain across 7.4 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 78°F in the first days to 68°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% 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 Memphis's 1st-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Memphis's year-round climate.

Daytime high
73°
6th warmest
Overnight low
53°
7th coldest
Rainfall
4.0 in
7.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
6:12 AM – 5:18 PM
Cloud cover
44%
1st clearest
Wind
7 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
3.79 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.3
out of 10

Memphis is city in and county seat of Shelby County, Tennessee, United States.

Density
754/km²
people per km²
Founded
1819

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 78°F in the first days to 68°F by the end.

A typical October day in Memphis reaches about 73°F in the afternoon and slips back to 53°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 62°F and 83°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 11°F cooler than September and about 12°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17959
27858
37858
47858
57757
67757
77656
87656
97656
107555
117555
127455
137454
147354
157353
167353
177253
187252
197252
207152
217151
227051
237051
247050
256950
266950
276849
286849
296749
306748
316748

How October really feels in Memphis

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.

Memphis 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
Jan49° / 33°3.99.60.99.92.1
Feb53° / 36°4.19.20.910.73.1
Mar62° / 44°5.011.40.511.75.2
Apr71° / 53°4.810012.96.6
May80° / 62°4.611.1013.86.4
Jun87° / 71°3.49.7014.34.8
Jul89° / 74°3.710.4014.14.1
Aug89° / 72°3.08.5013.34.5
Sep83° / 65°2.97.4012.26.2
Oct73° / 53°4.07.4011.17.3
Nov61° / 43°4.08.50.110.25.3
Dec52° / 36°5.09.80.49.72.7

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in October, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 38%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
27030
36931
46931
56832
66832
76733
86634
96634
106535
116436
126337
136436
146337
156238
166238
176139
186238
196139
206139
216040
226040
235941
245842
255743
265743
275644
285644
295545
305545
315545

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Memphis gets around 4.0 in of rain over 7.4 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 24% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
119
219
319
419
519
620
721
821
922
1023
1123
1224
1324
1424
1525
1625
1725
1825
1925
2025
2126
2226
2326
2426
2527
2627
2727
2828
2928
3028
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 62% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 9% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1451818155
2461718144
3471718144
4491718133
5501718123
6501718123
7511718113
8531618103
9541618102
1055161892
1158151782
1259151781
1361151671
1461151671
1563151561
1663151561
1765151460
1866151360
1967151350
2068151250
2169151150
2270151050
2370151050
2470151050
257115950
267115950
277115950
287215850
297314850
307414840
317414840

Wind in October

Winds average 7 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 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
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 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 6:00 AM to 6:26 AM, and sunset from 5:39 PM to 5:01 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.76:005:39
211.66:005:37
311.66:015:36
411.56:025:34
511.56:035:33
611.56:045:32
711.46:055:30
811.46:055:29
911.46:065:27
1011.36:075:26
1111.36:085:25
1211.26:095:23
1311.26:105:22
1411.26:115:21
1511.16:115:19
1611.16:125:18
1711.16:135:17
1811.06:145:16
1911.06:155:14
2011.06:165:13
2110.96:175:12
2210.96:185:11
2310.96:195:10
2410.86:205:09
2510.86:215:07
2610.76:215:06
2710.76:225:05
2810.76:235:04
2910.66:245:03
3010.66:255:02
3110.66:265:01

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.79 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 6.47 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.79 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.5Bright
24.5Bright
34.4Bright
44.4Bright
54.3Bright
64.3Bright
74.2Bright
84.2Bright
94.1Bright
104.1Bright
114.0Bright
124.0Moderate
133.9Moderate
143.9Moderate
153.8Moderate
163.8Moderate
173.7Moderate
183.7Moderate
193.6Moderate
203.6Moderate
213.6Moderate
223.5Moderate
233.5Moderate
243.4Moderate
253.4Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.3Moderate
283.3Moderate
293.2Moderate
303.2Moderate
313.2Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Memphis

In seasonPeak

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

Memphis 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 Memphis?

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
5.4
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Memphis in October

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

In October, Memphis sees daytime highs around 73°F and nights near 53°F. Worth packing: light clothes. About 7 days see rain.

light clothes

UV index in Memphis 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 Memphis peaks around June 20 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 highHighModerateJun 20UV 10Dec 20UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr8Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Memphis 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 Memphis is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1419 µg/m³Dec 197 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr10Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Memphis?

Memphis sits at 35.1°N, 90.0°W, 256 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is New South Memphis, 4.3 mi away.

Topography around Memphis

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Memphis has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 154 ft around an average of 243 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 253 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 682 ft.

The land around Memphis is covered by artificial surfaces (44%), trees (21%) and water (20%) within 2 miles, trees (50%) within 10 miles, and trees (44%) and cropland (43%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
154 ft
10 miles
253 ft
50 miles
682 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: New South Memphis 4.3 mi · West Memphis 7.5 mi · Bartlett 11 mi · Southaven 11 mi · Horn Lake 14 mi · Ellendale 14 mi · Germantown 14 mi · Cordova 16 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 Memphis (35.1495°, -90.049°, elevation 256 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). 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).