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
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°F) | 62 | 62 | 62 | 61 | 61 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 59 | 59 | 58 | 58 | 57 | 57 | 56 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 54 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 49 |
| Avg low (°F) | 48 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 38 |
| Avg high (°F) | Avg low (°F) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 62 | 48 |
| 2 | 62 | 47 |
| 3 | 62 | 47 |
| 4 | 61 | 47 |
| 5 | 61 | 46 |
| 6 | 60 | 46 |
| 7 | 60 | 46 |
| 8 | 60 | 45 |
| 9 | 59 | 45 |
| 10 | 59 | 45 |
| 11 | 58 | 44 |
| 12 | 58 | 44 |
| 13 | 57 | 44 |
| 14 | 57 | 44 |
| 15 | 56 | 43 |
| 16 | 56 | 43 |
| 17 | 55 | 43 |
| 18 | 55 | 42 |
| 19 | 54 | 42 |
| 20 | 54 | 42 |
| 21 | 53 | 41 |
| 22 | 53 | 41 |
| 23 | 53 | 41 |
| 24 | 52 | 40 |
| 25 | 52 | 40 |
| 26 | 51 | 40 |
| 27 | 51 | 40 |
| 28 | 50 | 39 |
| 29 | 50 | 39 |
| 30 | 50 | 38 |
| 31 | 49 | 38 |
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.
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.
| Month | High / Low (°F) | Rainfall (inches) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28° / 17° | 2.1 | 11.8 | 13.9 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 28° / 16° | 1.6 | 8.5 | 8.8 | 10.1 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 38° / 23° | 2.1 | 8.7 | 6.2 | 11.6 | 0.1 |
| Apr | 50° / 34° | 3.2 | 11 | 3.5 | 13.2 | 2.3 |
| May | 62° / 45° | 3.2 | 10.9 | 0.2 | 14.6 | 5.1 |
| Jun | 71° / 55° | 3.1 | 10 | 0 | 15.3 | 6.6 |
| Jul | 76° / 61° | 3.3 | 11 | 0 | 15 | 6.9 |
| Aug | 75° / 60° | 3.3 | 10.6 | 0 | 13.9 | 7.0 |
| Sep | 69° / 53° | 3.2 | 11.6 | 0 | 12.3 | 6.1 |
| Oct | 56° / 43° | 3.7 | 14 | 0.4 | 10.7 | 3.4 |
| Nov | 43° / 34° | 2.8 | 13.3 | 6.6 | 9.4 | 0.6 |
| Dec | 34° / 26° | 2.4 | 13.3 | 13.3 | 8.7 | 0.0 |
Cloud cover in October
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 42 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 39 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
| Cloudier (%) | 58 | 58 | 59 | 59 | 59 | 60 | 60 | 61 | 60 | 61 | 61 | 62 | 62 | 64 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 73 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 42 | 58 |
| 2 | 42 | 58 |
| 3 | 41 | 59 |
| 4 | 41 | 59 |
| 5 | 41 | 59 |
| 6 | 40 | 60 |
| 7 | 40 | 60 |
| 8 | 39 | 61 |
| 9 | 40 | 60 |
| 10 | 39 | 61 |
| 11 | 39 | 61 |
| 12 | 38 | 62 |
| 13 | 38 | 62 |
| 14 | 36 | 64 |
| 15 | 36 | 64 |
| 16 | 35 | 65 |
| 17 | 34 | 66 |
| 18 | 33 | 67 |
| 19 | 33 | 67 |
| 20 | 32 | 68 |
| 21 | 31 | 69 |
| 22 | 31 | 69 |
| 23 | 31 | 69 |
| 24 | 29 | 71 |
| 25 | 29 | 71 |
| 26 | 29 | 71 |
| 27 | 29 | 71 |
| 28 | 29 | 71 |
| 29 | 28 | 72 |
| 30 | 28 | 72 |
| 31 | 27 | 73 |
Chance of precipitation in October
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 45 | 45 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 46 |
| Snow chance (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Rain chance (%) | Snow chance (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45 | 0 |
| 2 | 45 | 0 |
| 3 | 44 | 0 |
| 4 | 44 | 0 |
| 5 | 44 | 0 |
| 6 | 43 | 0 |
| 7 | 43 | 0 |
| 8 | 43 | 0 |
| 9 | 43 | 0 |
| 10 | 43 | 0 |
| 11 | 43 | 0 |
| 12 | 43 | 0 |
| 13 | 43 | 1 |
| 14 | 44 | 1 |
| 15 | 44 | 1 |
| 16 | 45 | 1 |
| 17 | 46 | 1 |
| 18 | 47 | 1 |
| 19 | 48 | 1 |
| 20 | 48 | 1 |
| 21 | 48 | 2 |
| 22 | 48 | 2 |
| 23 | 48 | 2 |
| 24 | 48 | 3 |
| 25 | 48 | 3 |
| 26 | 48 | 4 |
| 27 | 48 | 4 |
| 28 | 47 | 5 |
| 29 | 47 | 6 |
| 30 | 47 | 6 |
| 31 | 46 | 7 |
Humidity in October
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 84 | 85 | 85 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 89 | 90 | 90 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 94 | 95 | 95 | 96 | 96 | 97 | 97 | 97 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| Comfortable (%) | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Humid (%) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Muggy (%) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 84 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 | 85 | 11 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | 85 | 11 | 3 | 1 |
| 4 | 87 | 10 | 2 | 1 |
| 5 | 88 | 9 | 2 | 1 |
| 6 | 89 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| 7 | 89 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| 8 | 90 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| 9 | 90 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | 92 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | 93 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | 94 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | 94 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | 95 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | 95 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | 96 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | 96 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | 97 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | 97 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | 97 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | 99 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | 99 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | 99 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | 99 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | 99 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (mph) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (mph) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | light breeze |
| 2 | 9 | light breeze |
| 3 | 9 | light breeze |
| 4 | 9 | light breeze |
| 5 | 9 | light breeze |
| 6 | 9 | light breeze |
| 7 | 9 | light breeze |
| 8 | 9 | light breeze |
| 9 | 9 | light breeze |
| 10 | 9 | light breeze |
| 11 | 9 | light breeze |
| 12 | 9 | light breeze |
| 13 | 9 | light breeze |
| 14 | 9 | light breeze |
| 15 | 9 | light breeze |
| 16 | 9 | light breeze |
| 17 | 10 | light breeze |
| 18 | 10 | light breeze |
| 19 | 10 | light breeze |
| 20 | 10 | light breeze |
| 21 | 10 | light breeze |
| 22 | 10 | light breeze |
| 23 | 10 | light breeze |
| 24 | 10 | light breeze |
| 25 | 10 | light breeze |
| 26 | 10 | light breeze |
| 27 | 10 | light breeze |
| 28 | 10 | light breeze |
| 29 | 10 | light breeze |
| 30 | 10 | light breeze |
| 31 | 10 | light breeze |
Sunrise & sunset in October
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.4 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 11.2 | 11.2 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 10.6 | 10.6 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 10.4 | 10.4 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:46 | 6:48 | 6:49 | 6:50 | 6:51 | 6:53 | 6:54 | 6:55 | 6:57 | 6:58 | 6:59 | 7:00 | 7:02 | 7:03 | 7:04 | 7:06 | 7:07 | 7:08 | 7:10 | 7:11 | 7:12 | 7:14 | 7:15 | 7:17 | 7:18 | 7:19 | 7:21 | 7:22 | 7:23 | 7:25 | 7:26 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:17 | 6:15 | 6:13 | 6:11 | 6:09 | 6:07 | 6:05 | 6:04 | 6:02 | 6:00 | 5:58 | 5:56 | 5:55 | 5:53 | 5:51 | 5:49 | 5:48 | 5:46 | 5:44 | 5:43 | 5:41 | 5:39 | 5:38 | 5:36 | 5:35 | 5:33 | 5:32 | 5:30 | 5:29 | 5:27 | 5:26 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.5 | 6:46 | 6:17 |
| 2 | 11.5 | 6:48 | 6:15 |
| 3 | 11.4 | 6:49 | 6:13 |
| 4 | 11.3 | 6:50 | 6:11 |
| 5 | 11.3 | 6:51 | 6:09 |
| 6 | 11.2 | 6:53 | 6:07 |
| 7 | 11.2 | 6:54 | 6:05 |
| 8 | 11.1 | 6:55 | 6:04 |
| 9 | 11.1 | 6:57 | 6:02 |
| 10 | 11.0 | 6:58 | 6:00 |
| 11 | 11.0 | 6:59 | 5:58 |
| 12 | 10.9 | 7:00 | 5:56 |
| 13 | 10.9 | 7:02 | 5:55 |
| 14 | 10.8 | 7:03 | 5:53 |
| 15 | 10.8 | 7:04 | 5:51 |
| 16 | 10.7 | 7:06 | 5:49 |
| 17 | 10.7 | 7:07 | 5:48 |
| 18 | 10.6 | 7:08 | 5:46 |
| 19 | 10.6 | 7:10 | 5:44 |
| 20 | 10.5 | 7:11 | 5:43 |
| 21 | 10.5 | 7:12 | 5:41 |
| 22 | 10.4 | 7:14 | 5:39 |
| 23 | 10.4 | 7:15 | 5:38 |
| 24 | 10.3 | 7:17 | 5:36 |
| 25 | 10.3 | 7:18 | 5:35 |
| 26 | 10.2 | 7:19 | 5:33 |
| 27 | 10.2 | 7:21 | 5:32 |
| 28 | 10.1 | 7:22 | 5:30 |
| 29 | 10.1 | 7:23 | 5:29 |
| 30 | 10.0 | 7:25 | 5:27 |
| 31 | 10.0 | 7:26 | 5:26 |
Solar energy in October
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Dim | Dim |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 2 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 3 | 3.2 | Moderate |
| 4 | 3.2 | Moderate |
| 5 | 3.1 | Moderate |
| 6 | 3.1 | Moderate |
| 7 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 8 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 9 | 2.9 | Moderate |
| 10 | 2.9 | Moderate |
| 11 | 2.8 | Moderate |
| 12 | 2.8 | Moderate |
| 13 | 2.7 | Moderate |
| 14 | 2.7 | Moderate |
| 15 | 2.6 | Moderate |
| 16 | 2.6 | Moderate |
| 17 | 2.5 | Moderate |
| 18 | 2.5 | Moderate |
| 19 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 20 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 21 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 22 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 23 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 24 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 25 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 26 | 2.1 | Moderate |
| 27 | 2.1 | Moderate |
| 28 | 2.0 | Moderate |
| 29 | 2.0 | Moderate |
| 30 | 2.0 | Dim |
| 31 | 2.0 | Dim |
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).
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.
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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°F) | 38 | 36 | 35 | 37 | 40 | 50 | 64 | 68 | 65 | 56 | 48 | 42 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°F) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38 | Bracing |
| Feb | 36 | Bracing |
| Mar | 35 | Bracing |
| Apr | 37 | Bracing |
| May | 40 | Bracing |
| Jun | 50 | Bracing |
| Jul | 64 | Cool |
| Aug | 68 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 65 | Cool |
| Oct | 56 | Bracing |
| Nov | 48 | Bracing |
| Dec | 42 | Bracing |
UV index in Traverse City in October
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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Level | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 | Low |
| Feb | 2 | Low |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 5 | Moderate |
| May | 7 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 8 | Very high |
| Aug | 7 | High |
| Sep | 5 | Moderate |
| Oct | 3 | Moderate |
| Nov | 2 | Low |
| Dec | 1 | Low |
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.
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
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).