Springfield weather in October

In October, Springfield sees average daytime highs of 66°F and overnight lows near 46°F, with 3.3 in of precipitation across 8.5 wet days and about 10.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 72°F in the first days to 59°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% 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 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Springfield's 4th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Springfield's year-round climate.

Daytime high
66°
6th warmest
Overnight low
46°
7th coldest
Precipitation
3.3 in
8.5 wet days
Daylight
10 h 54 min
6:16 AM – 5:12 PM
Cloud cover
53%
4th clearest
Wind
8 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
3.35 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Springfield is capital city of the U.S. state of Illinois and county seat of Sangamon County.

Density
665/km²
people per km²
Founded
1821

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 72°F in the first days to 59°F by the end.

A typical October day in Springfield reaches about 66°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 53°F and 79°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 12°F cooler than September and about 14°F warmer than November.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17351
27251
37251
47150
57150
67150
77049
87049
96948
106948
116848
126847
136747
146747
156646
166646
176546
186545
196445
206445
216344
226344
236244
246243
256143
266143
276042
286042
295942
305941
315841

How October really feels in Springfield

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.

Springfield 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
Jan36° / 21°2.483.99.50.0
Feb40° / 24°2.27.53.510.40.2
Mar52° / 34°3.110.11.611.72.7
Apr64° / 44°4.611.90.4135.3
May74° / 55°4.613.4014.26.2
Jun82° / 65°4.311.4014.85.8
Jul85° / 68°3.610.1014.55.4
Aug84° / 65°3.19.4013.65.8
Sep78° / 58°3.27.4012.37.3
Oct66° / 46°3.38.50.110.96.2
Nov52° / 35°3.38.30.99.82.8
Dec40° / 26°2.382.89.20.2

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 46%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16238
26238
36139
46139
56040
66040
75941
85842
95842
105743
115743
125644
135644
145644
155644
165545
175545
185446
195446
205248
215149
225050
235050
244951
254951
264753
274753
284753
294753
304654
314555

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Springfield gets around 3.3 in of rain and snow over 8.5 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 27% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
124
224
324
424
524
624
725
825
925
1026
1126
1226
1326
1427
1527
1627
1727
1828
1928
2028
2128
2229
2329
2429
2529
2629
2730
2830
2930
3030
3129

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 83% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1701497
2711496
3731386
4741385
5741385
6761275
7771274
8771274
9781174
10801163
11801163
12831052
13831052
14841051
15841051
1686941
1786941
1887940
1987940
2088930
2188930
2288930
2388930
2488930
2588930
2689920
2789920
2889920
2989920
3089920
3189920

Wind in October

Winds average 8 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of October to 10 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 78 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:00 AM to 6:32 AM, and sunset from 5:35 PM to 4:52 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:005:35
211.56:015:33
311.56:025:32
411.56:035:30
511.46:045:29
611.46:055:27
711.36:065:25
811.36:075:24
911.26:085:22
1011.26:095:21
1111.16:105:19
1211.16:115:18
1311.16:125:16
1411.06:145:15
1511.06:155:13
1610.96:165:12
1710.96:175:10
1810.86:185:09
1910.86:195:07
2010.86:205:06
2110.76:215:04
2210.76:225:03
2310.66:235:02
2410.66:255:00
2510.66:264:59
2610.56:274:58
2710.56:284:57
2810.46:294:55
2910.46:304:54
3010.46:314:53
3110.36:324:52

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.35 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.82 kWh/m² to a high of 6.44 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.35 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.1Bright
24.0Bright
34.0Bright
44.0Moderate
53.9Moderate
63.9Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.7Moderate
103.6Moderate
113.6Moderate
123.6Moderate
133.5Moderate
143.5Moderate
153.4Moderate
163.4Moderate
173.3Moderate
183.3Moderate
193.2Moderate
203.2Moderate
213.1Moderate
223.1Moderate
233.0Moderate
243.0Moderate
253.0Moderate
262.9Moderate
272.9Moderate
282.8Moderate
292.8Moderate
302.8Moderate
312.7Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Springfield?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
2.7
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Springfield for sightseeing.

What to pack for Springfield in October

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

In October, Springfield sees daytime highs around 66°F and nights near 46°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Springfield in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Springfield peaks around June 21 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 21UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Springfield 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 Springfield is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 1716 µg/m³Oct 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar12Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Springfield?

Springfield sits at 39.8°N, 89.6°W, 597 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Jacksonville, 32 mi away.

Topography around Springfield

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Springfield has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 121 ft around an average of 604 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 194 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 390 ft.

The land around Springfield is covered by trees (44%) and artificial surfaces (43%) within 2 miles, cropland (45%) and trees (31%) within 10 miles, and cropland (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
121 ft
10 miles
194 ft
50 miles
390 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Jacksonville 32 mi · Decatur 37 mi · Pekin 53 mi · Morton 57 mi · Bloomington 58 mi · East Peoria 60 mi · Normal 60 mi · Peoria 62 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 Springfield (39.8017°, -89.6437°, elevation 597 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).