Traverse City weather in October

In October, Traverse City sees average daytime highs of 56°F and overnight lows near 43°F, with 3.7 in of precipitation across 14 wet days and about 10.7 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 61°F in the first days to 50°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of October to 10 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Traverse City's 8th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Traverse City's year-round climate.

Daytime high
56°
6th warmest
Overnight low
43°
7th coldest
Precipitation
3.7 in
14 wet days
Daylight
10 h 42 min
7:06 AM – 5:49 PM
Cloud cover
69%
8th clearest
Wind
9 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
2.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.4
out of 10

Traverse City is city in and seat of Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States.

Density
679/km²
people per km²
Founded
1891

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 61°F in the first days to 50°F by the end.

A typical October day in Traverse City reaches about 56°F in the afternoon and slips back to 43°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 45°F and 67°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 13°F cooler than September and about 12°F warmer than November.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16248
26247
36247
46147
56146
66046
76046
86045
95945
105945
115844
125844
135744
145744
155643
165643
175543
185542
195442
205442
215341
225341
235341
245240
255240
265140
275140
285039
295039
305038
314938

How October really feels in Traverse City

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 2 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
2
wind chill below the day's low

The story in October is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Traverse City weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 17°2.111.813.990.0
Feb28° / 16°1.68.58.810.10.0
Mar38° / 23°2.18.76.211.60.1
Apr50° / 34°3.2113.513.22.3
May62° / 45°3.210.90.214.65.1
Jun71° / 55°3.110015.36.6
Jul76° / 61°3.3110156.9
Aug75° / 60°3.310.6013.97.0
Sep69° / 53°3.211.6012.36.1
Oct56° / 43°3.7140.410.73.4
Nov43° / 34°2.813.36.69.40.6
Dec34° / 26°2.413.313.38.70.0

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 65%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14258
24258
34159
44159
54159
64060
74060
83961
94060
103961
113961
123862
133862
143664
153664
163565
173466
183367
193367
203268
213169
223169
233169
242971
252971
262971
272971
282971
292872
302872
312773

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitationSnow

Traverse City gets around 3.7 in of rain and snow over 14 wet days in October, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 46% and peaks near 48% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1450
2450
3440
4440
5440
6430
7430
8430
9430
10430
11430
12430
13431
14441
15441
16451
17461
18471
19481
20481
21482
22482
23482
24483
25483
26484
27484
28475
29476
30476
31467

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 94% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1841231
2851131
3851131
4871021
588921
689821
789821
890721
990721
1092620
1193610
1294510
1394510
1495410
1595410
1696310
1796310
1897300
1997300
2097300
2198200
2298200
2398200
2498200
2598200
2698200
2799100
2899100
2999100
3099100
3199100

Wind in October

Winds average 9 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of October to 10 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 90 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:46 AM to 7:26 AM, and sunset from 6:17 PM to 5:26 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:466:17
211.56:486:15
311.46:496:13
411.36:506:11
511.36:516:09
611.26:536:07
711.26:546:05
811.16:556:04
911.16:576:02
1011.06:586:00
1111.06:595:58
1210.97:005:56
1310.97:025:55
1410.87:035:53
1510.87:045:51
1610.77:065:49
1710.77:075:48
1810.67:085:46
1910.67:105:44
2010.57:115:43
2110.57:125:41
2210.47:145:39
2310.47:155:38
2410.37:175:36
2510.37:185:35
2610.27:195:33
2710.27:215:32
2810.17:225:30
2910.17:235:29
3010.07:255:27
3110.07:265:26

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 2.57 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.13 kWh/m² to a high of 6.49 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 2.57 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.3Moderate
23.3Moderate
33.2Moderate
43.2Moderate
53.1Moderate
63.1Moderate
73.0Moderate
83.0Moderate
92.9Moderate
102.9Moderate
112.8Moderate
122.8Moderate
132.7Moderate
142.7Moderate
152.6Moderate
162.6Moderate
172.5Moderate
182.5Moderate
192.4Moderate
202.4Moderate
212.3Moderate
222.3Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.1Moderate
272.1Moderate
282.0Moderate
292.0Moderate
302.0Dim
312.0Dim
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Traverse City?

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

3.4
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
0.2
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Traverse City.

What to pack for Traverse City in October

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

In October, Traverse City sees daytime highs around 56°F and nights near 43°F. Pack rain gear. Worth having: a warm layer. About 14 days see rain.

rain geara warm layer

Sea temperature near Traverse City in October

The nearest coast averages about 56°F in October — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 68°F and coldest in March near 35°F.

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

30°40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarm
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb36Bracing
Mar35Bracing
Apr37Bracing
May40Bracing
Jun50Bracing
Jul64Cool
Aug68Refreshing
Sep65Cool
Oct56Bracing
Nov48Bracing
Dec42Bracing

UV index in Traverse City in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Traverse City peaks around June 18 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 18UV 9Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Traverse City?

Traverse City sits at 44.8°N, 85.6°W, 597 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Mackinac Island, 89 mi away.

Topography around Traverse City

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Traverse City has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 404 ft around an average of 627 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 679 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,224 ft.

The land around Traverse City is covered by water (33%), trees (32%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 2 miles, trees (48%), water (25%) and grassland (22%) within 10 miles, and trees (49%) and water (37%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
404 ft
10 miles
679 ft
50 miles
1,224 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Mackinac Island 89 mi · Mount Pleasant 91 mi · Midland 104 mi · Muskegon 110 mi · Manitowoc 111 mi · Norton Shores 115 mi · Bellevue 115 mi · Bay City 118 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 Traverse City (44.7631°, -85.6206°, 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. 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).