Salisbury weather in October

In October, Salisbury sees average daytime highs of 71°F and overnight lows near 51°F, with 3.3 in of rain across 7.1 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 75°F in the first days to 66°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 36 min at the start of October to 10 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Salisbury's 1st-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Salisbury's year-round climate.

Daytime high
71°
7th warmest
Overnight low
51°
7th coldest
Rainfall
3.3 in
7.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
6:35 AM – 5:39 PM
Cloud cover
47%
1st clearest
Wind
5 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
3.69 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.2
out of 10

Salisbury is city in Rowan County, North Carolina, United States.

Density
591/km²
people per km²
Founded
1763

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 75°F in the first days to 66°F by the end.

A typical October day in Salisbury reaches about 71°F in the afternoon and slips back to 51°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 61°F and 80°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 10°F cooler than September and about 10°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17658
27557
37557
47556
57456
67455
77455
87355
97354
107354
117253
127253
137252
147152
157151
167151
177151
187050
197050
206949
216949
226948
236948
246848
256847
266747
276747
286746
296646
306646
316645

How October really feels in Salisbury

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.

Salisbury weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 7th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan50° / 32°3.69.51.39.92.3
Feb53° / 35°3.38.91.310.63.2
Mar61° / 41°4.210.10.511.75.2
Apr71° / 50°3.69.2012.96.7
May78° / 59°3.210.7013.96.6
Jun85° / 67°3.612014.44.8
Jul89° / 71°3.613.8014.23.9
Aug87° / 69°3.511.8013.34.6
Sep81° / 63°3.89.1012.26.4
Oct71° / 51°3.37.1011.17.2
Nov60° / 41°3.37.70.110.15.3
Dec52° / 35°3.78.90.69.63.0

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 13% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 40%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25644
35743
45743
55842
65842
75941
85842
95941
105941
115941
126040
136139
146139
156238
166337
176337
186436
196436
206337
216436
226436
236337
246238
256238
266139
276139
286040
296040
305941
315941

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Salisbury gets around 3.3 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 24% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
127
226
326
425
525
625
725
824
924
1024
1124
1224
1324
1424
1523
1623
1723
1822
1922
2022
2122
2222
2322
2423
2523
2623
2724
2824
2924
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 64% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 6% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1412120153
2432119143
3452118133
4462118123
5482117113
6502116103
751211693
853211583
955211572
1057201472
1158201462
1259201452
1362191342
1462191342
1566181231
1666181231
1767181131
1869171121
1971171020
2071171020
217316920
227416910
237516810
247516810
257615810
267715710
277715710
287715710
297815610
307914610
317914610

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
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
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 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 60 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:22 AM to 6:49 AM, and sunset from 6:00 PM to 5:22 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:226:00
211.66:225:59
311.66:235:57
411.56:245:56
511.56:255:54
611.56:265:53
711.46:275:52
811.46:275:50
911.36:285:49
1011.36:295:47
1111.36:305:46
1211.26:315:45
1311.26:325:43
1411.26:335:42
1511.16:345:41
1611.16:355:39
1711.06:355:38
1811.06:365:37
1911.06:375:36
2010.96:385:34
2110.96:395:33
2210.96:405:32
2310.86:415:31
2410.86:425:30
2510.86:435:28
2610.76:445:27
2710.76:455:26
2810.76:465:25
2910.66:475:24
3010.66:485:23
3110.66:495:22

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.69 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.26 kWh/m² to a high of 6.19 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.69 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.0Bright
24.0Bright
34.0Moderate
44.0Moderate
53.9Moderate
63.9Moderate
73.9Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.8Moderate
103.8Moderate
113.8Moderate
123.8Moderate
133.7Moderate
143.7Moderate
153.7Moderate
163.7Moderate
173.7Moderate
183.6Moderate
193.6Moderate
203.6Moderate
213.6Moderate
223.5Moderate
233.5Moderate
243.5Moderate
253.5Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.4Moderate
283.3Moderate
293.3Moderate
303.3Moderate
313.2Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Salisbury?

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

7.2
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
4.7
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Salisbury in October

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

In October, Salisbury sees daytime highs around 71°F and nights near 51°F. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 7 days see rain.

UV index in Salisbury 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 Salisbury peaks around July 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 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 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Salisbury 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 Salisbury is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1718 µg/m³Dec 138 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Good
Apr12Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Salisbury?

Salisbury sits at 35.7°N, 80.5°W, 768 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Kannapolis, 15 mi away.

Topography around Salisbury

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Salisbury has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 180 ft around an average of 725 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 584 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,474 ft.

The land around Salisbury is covered by trees (57%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 2 miles, trees (64%) and grassland (23%) within 10 miles, and trees (73%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
180 ft
10 miles
584 ft
50 miles
2,474 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Kannapolis 15 mi · Lexington 16 mi · Concord 19 mi · Mooresville 20 mi · Statesville 24 mi · Clemmons 25 mi · Cornelius 25 mi · Thomasville 26 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 Salisbury (35.671°, -80.4742°, elevation 768 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).