Santa Rosa weather in October

In October, Santa Rosa sees average daytime highs of 74°F and overnight lows near 50°F, with 1.4 in of rain across 3.2 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 78°F in the first days to 70°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% 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 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Santa Rosa's 5th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Santa Rosa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
74°
5th warmest
Overnight low
50°
7th coldest
Rainfall
1.4 in
3.2 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
6:26 AM – 5:25 PM
Cloud cover
30%
5th clearest
Wind
4 mph
11th windiest
Solar energy
4.18 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.5
out of 10

Santa Rosa is city in and county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States.

Density
1,657/km²
people per km²
Founded
1868

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 70°F by the end.

A typical October day in Santa Rosa reaches about 74°F in the afternoon and slips back to 50°F overnight — a 24°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 64°F and 85°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 7°F cooler than September and about 11°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17953
27853
37853
47853
57852
67752
77752
87752
97752
107651
117651
127651
137651
147651
157551
167551
177550
187450
197450
207450
217349
227349
237349
247249
257249
267148
277148
287148
297048
307047
316947

Santa Rosa weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan57° / 40°5.710.39.64.0
Feb60° / 42°5.89.310.54.7
Mar63° / 44°4.49.511.75.7
Apr67° / 46°1.95.6137.0
May73° / 51°1.13.614.18.2
Jun80° / 55°0.31.214.68.5
Jul83° / 57°0.00.114.47.8
Aug83° / 57°0.00.213.57.8
Sep81° / 55°0.10.612.38.6
Oct74° / 50°1.43.2118.5
Nov63° / 44°3.06.29.96.2
Dec56° / 39°5.910.19.43.9

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 22%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18713
28614
38614
48614
58416
68416
78416
88218
98218
108218
118119
128020
138020
148020
157921
167921
177822
187723
197723
207624
217624
227525
237426
247327
257327
267228
277228
287129
297030
307030
316931

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Santa Rosa gets around 1.4 in of rain over 3.2 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 10% and peaks near 15% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
16
26
36
47
57
67
77
88
98
108
118
128
138
148
158
169
179
189
1910
2010
2111
2211
2312
2412
2513
2613
2713
2814
2914
3015
3115

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 95% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19451
29451
39550
49550
59550
69550
79550
89550
99550
109550
119550
129460
139460
149460
159460
169460
179460
189460
199460
209460
219460
229460
239550
249550
259550
269550
279550
289640
299640
309640
319640

Wind in October

Winds average 4 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 4 mph on the calmest days to 4 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of October to 10 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 72 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:12 AM to 6:42 AM, and sunset from 5:48 PM to 5:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:125:48
211.66:135:46
311.56:145:45
411.56:155:43
511.46:155:42
611.46:165:40
711.46:175:39
811.36:185:37
911.36:195:36
1011.26:205:34
1111.26:215:33
1211.16:225:31
1311.16:235:30
1411.16:245:28
1511.06:255:27
1611.06:265:25
1710.96:275:24
1810.96:285:23
1910.96:305:21
2010.86:315:20
2110.86:325:19
2210.76:335:17
2310.76:345:16
2410.76:355:15
2510.66:365:13
2610.66:375:12
2710.66:385:11
2810.56:395:10
2910.56:405:09
3010.46:415:08
3110.46:425:06

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 4.18 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.08 kWh/m² to a high of 8.01 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 4.18 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.8Bright
64.8Bright
74.7Bright
84.6Bright
94.6Bright
104.5Bright
114.5Bright
124.4Bright
134.4Bright
144.3Bright
154.3Bright
164.2Bright
174.1Bright
184.1Bright
194.0Bright
204.0Moderate
213.9Moderate
223.9Moderate
233.8Moderate
243.8Moderate
253.7Moderate
263.6Moderate
273.6Moderate
283.5Moderate
293.5Moderate
303.4Moderate
313.4Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Santa Rosa

In seasonPeak

None of Santa Rosa's seasonal hazards are active in October. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Santa Rosa's rainy season runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is October a good time to visit Santa Rosa?

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

8.5
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.8
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

October is one of the better times to visit Santa Rosa for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Santa Rosa in October

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

In October, Santa Rosa sees daytime highs around 74°F and nights near 50°F. Worth packing: light clothes. About 3 days see rain.

light clothes

Sea temperature near Santa Rosa in October

The nearest coast averages about 55°F in October — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 23 mi away) is warmest in September at about 55°F and coldest in May near 51°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

50°52°54°56°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracing
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan53Bracing
Feb53Bracing
Mar53Bracing
Apr51Bracing
May51Bracing
Jun51Bracing
Jul53Bracing
Aug54Bracing
Sep55Bracing
Oct55Bracing
Nov54Bracing
Dec53Bracing

UV index in Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa peaks around June 23 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 2 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 10Dec 17UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep6High
Oct5High
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa is worst in September — around 24 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.1× the cleanest month (June, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1623 µg/m³Jun 116 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar9Good
Apr7Good
May7Good
Jun6Good
Jul9Good
Aug17Moderate
Sep24Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Santa Rosa?

Santa Rosa sits at 38.4°N, 122.7°W, 164 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Rohnert Park, 6.8 mi away.

Topography around Santa Rosa

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Santa Rosa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 449 ft around an average of 184 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,687 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,895 ft.

The land around Santa Rosa is covered by artificial surfaces (65%) and trees (28%) within 2 miles, trees (44%) and grassland (34%) within 10 miles, and trees (38%), water (27%) and grassland (26%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
449 ft
10 miles
2,687 ft
50 miles
4,895 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
October weather nearby: Rohnert Park 6.8 mi · Windsor 9.3 mi · Agua Caliente 15 mi · Petaluma 15 mi · Novato 24 mi · Napa 25 mi · American Canyon 30 mi · San Rafael 34 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 Santa Rosa (38.4405°, -122.7144°, elevation 164 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).