Salem weather in October

In October, Salem sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 46°F, with 3.1 in of precipitation across 7.2 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 71°F in the first days to 62°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% 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 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Salem's 1st-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Salem's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
6th warmest
Overnight low
46°
7th coldest
Precipitation
3.1 in
7.2 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
6:35 AM – 5:36 PM
Cloud cover
50%
1st clearest
Wind
5 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
3.55 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
out of 10

Salem is independent city near Roanoke, Virginia, United States.

Density
675/km²
people per km²
Founded
1802

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 71°F in the first days to 62°F by the end.

A typical October day in Salem reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 46°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 56°F and 78°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 10°F cooler than September and about 11°F warmer than November.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17252
27152
37152
47151
57151
67050
77050
87050
96949
106949
116948
126848
136847
146747
156747
166746
176746
186645
196645
206545
216544
226544
236444
246443
256443
266442
276342
286342
296242
306241
316241

How October really feels in Salem

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.

Salem weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan45° / 28°3.38.62.69.70.9
Feb48° / 30°2.98.52.710.61.8
Mar56° / 37°4.010.6211.73.8
Apr66° / 46°3.510.20.212.96.0
May73° / 54°3.812.30146.4
Jun81° / 62°3.611.7014.56.0
Jul85° / 66°3.311.6014.35.2
Aug83° / 65°3.09.8013.45.9
Sep77° / 58°4.09.3012.36.9
Oct67° / 46°3.17.20.1116.6
Nov56° / 37°3.07.50.2104.1
Dec47° / 31°3.38.31.99.51.7

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% 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 42%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25644
35743
45743
55842
65842
75842
85842
95842
105743
115842
125842
135842
145842
155842
165842
176040
185941
195941
205941
215941
225842
235842
245842
255743
265743
275743
285743
295644
305644
315644

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Salem gets around 3.1 in of rain and snow over 7.2 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 24% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
127
226
326
425
525
624
724
824
924
1024
1125
1225
1325
1424
1524
1624
1723
1823
1923
2023
2123
2223
2323
2423
2524
2624
2724
2824
2925
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 (%)
15722156
25921146
36120136
46319135
56518125
66618115
76917104
8701794
9711694
10731683
11751573
12761563
13771562
14791452
15801442
16821341
17841231
18841231
19851131
20871030
2189920
2289920
2390820
2490820
2591720
2691720
2791720
2892620
2993610
3093610
3193610

Wind in October

Winds average 5 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 6 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of October to 10 h 30 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 6:21 AM to 6:50 AM, and sunset from 5:58 PM to 5:18 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:215:58
211.66:215:56
311.56:225:55
411.56:235:53
511.56:245:52
611.46:255:50
711.46:265:49
811.36:275:47
911.36:285:46
1011.36:295:44
1111.26:305:43
1211.26:315:42
1311.16:325:40
1411.16:335:39
1511.16:345:37
1611.06:355:36
1711.06:365:35
1810.96:375:33
1910.96:375:32
2010.96:385:31
2110.86:395:29
2210.86:405:28
2310.86:425:27
2410.76:435:26
2510.76:445:24
2610.66:455:23
2710.66:465:22
2810.66:475:21
2910.56:485:20
3010.56:495:19
3110.56:505:18

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.55 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 6.09 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.55 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
23.9Moderate
33.9Moderate
43.9Moderate
53.8Moderate
63.8Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.7Moderate
103.7Moderate
113.7Moderate
123.6Moderate
133.6Moderate
143.6Moderate
153.6Moderate
163.5Moderate
173.5Moderate
183.5Moderate
193.5Moderate
203.4Moderate
213.4Moderate
223.4Moderate
233.3Moderate
243.3Moderate
253.3Moderate
263.2Moderate
273.2Moderate
283.2Moderate
293.1Moderate
303.1Moderate
313.1Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Salem?

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

6.6
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
3.1
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Salem for sightseeing.

What to pack for Salem in October

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

In October, Salem sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 46°F. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 7 days see rain.

UV index in Salem 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 Salem peaks around July 13 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 13UV 10Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Salem 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 Salem is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1416 µg/m³Dec 126 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Salem?

Salem sits at 37.3°N, 80.1°W, 1,066 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Cave Spring, 5.0 mi away.

Topography around Salem

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Salem has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 896 ft around an average of 1,138 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,061 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,852 ft.

The land around Salem is covered by trees (56%), grassland (22%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 2 miles, trees (81%) within 10 miles, and trees (81%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
896 ft
10 miles
3,061 ft
50 miles
3,852 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Cave Spring 5.0 mi · Roanoke 6.2 mi · Blacksburg 21 mi · Christiansburg 22 mi · Radford 31 mi · West Lynchburg 48 mi · Lynchburg 51 mi · Eden 58 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 Salem (37.2935°, -80.0548°, elevation 1,066 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).