Vail weather in October

In October, Vail sees average daytime highs of 81°F and overnight lows near 56°F, with 0.6 in of rain across 2.7 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 85°F in the first days to 76°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 78% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of October to 10 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Vail's 3rd-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Vail's year-round climate.

Daytime high
81°
6th warmest
Overnight low
56°
7th coldest
Rainfall
0.6 in
2.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:32 AM – 5:44 PM
Cloud cover
22%
3rd clearest
Wind
5 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.2 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.0
out of 10

Vail is census designated place in Pima County, Arizona, United States.

Density
174/km²
people per km²

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 85°F in the first days to 76°F by the end.

A typical October day in Vail reaches about 81°F in the afternoon and slips back to 56°F overnight — a 25°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 71°F and 89°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 8°F cooler than September and about 11°F warmer than November.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18662
28662
38561
48561
58560
68460
78459
88459
98358
108358
118358
128257
138257
148256
158156
168156
178055
188055
198055
208055
217954
227954
237853
247853
257853
267752
277752
287752
297651
307651
317651

How October really feels in Vail

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.

Vail weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan62° / 38°1.03.80.510.16.4
Feb65° / 41°1.14.20.310.87.0
Mar71° / 46°0.62.90.211.88.2
Apr78° / 51°0.31.7012.88.8
May87° / 59°0.10.9013.66.4
Jun95° / 69°0.31.9014.13.3
Jul94° / 73°2.111.1013.92.9
Aug92° / 71°1.810.6013.23.5
Sep89° / 66°1.35.7012.25.0
Oct81° / 56°0.62.7011.28.0
Nov70° / 46°0.72.8010.48.2
Dec61° / 38°1.24.30.39.96.2

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 78% 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 12%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18911
28911
38911
48911
58911
68911
78911
88911
98812
108911
118911
128911
138911
149010
159010
169010
178911
188911
198911
208911
218812
228713
238713
248713
258713
268614
278614
288515
298416
308416
318317

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Vail gets around 0.6 in of rain over 2.7 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 9% and peaks near 11% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
111
211
310
410
510
610
710
810
910
1010
1110
1210
139
149
159
169
178
188
198
208
218
227
237
247
257
267
277
287
298
308
318

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 96% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
187841
289830
390730
491720
591720
693610
793610
894510
994510
1095500
1196400
1296400
1396400
1496400
1597300
1697300
1797300
1898200
1998200
2098200
2199100
2299100
2399100
2499100
2599100
2699100
2799100
2899100
29100000
30100000
31100000

Wind in October

Winds average 5 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 5 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
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of October to 10 h 42 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 6:21 AM to 6:44 AM, and sunset from 6:03 PM to 5:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.76:216:03
211.76:226:01
311.66:236:00
411.66:235:59
511.66:245:57
611.56:255:56
711.56:255:55
811.56:265:53
911.46:275:52
1011.46:275:51
1111.46:285:50
1211.36:295:49
1311.36:305:47
1411.36:305:46
1511.26:315:45
1611.26:325:44
1711.26:335:43
1811.16:335:42
1911.16:345:40
2011.16:355:39
2111.06:365:38
2211.06:375:37
2311.06:375:36
2410.96:385:35
2510.96:395:34
2610.96:405:33
2710.96:415:32
2810.86:425:31
2910.86:425:30
3010.86:435:30
3110.76:445:29

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 5.2 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.45 kWh/m² to a high of 8.29 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 5.2 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.7Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.7Bright
304.7Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Vail?

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

8.0
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
8.3
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Vail in October

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

In October, Vail sees daytime highs around 81°F and nights near 56°F. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Vail in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Vail peaks around June 22 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 11Dec 19UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5High
Mar6High
Apr9Very high
May9Very high
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct7High
Nov5Moderate
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Vail 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 Vail is worst in June — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.6× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 1715 µg/m³Dec 219 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb10Good
Mar11Good
Apr12Good
May11Good
Jun15Moderate
Jul12Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep11Good
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Vail?

Vail sits at 32.0°N, 110.7°W, 0 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Tanque Verde, 14 mi away.

Topography around Vail

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Vail has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 374 ft around an average of 3,212 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,583 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 7,421 ft.

The land around Vail is covered by shrubs (77%) within 2 miles, shrubs (88%) within 10 miles, and shrubs (76%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
374 ft
10 miles
3,583 ft
50 miles
7,421 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
October weather nearby: Tanque Verde 14 mi · Sahuarita 16 mi · Tucson 17 mi · Drexel Heights 20 mi · Catalina Foothills 21 mi · Green Valley 21 mi · Flowing Wells 24 mi · Casas Adobes 25 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 Vail (32.0479°, -110.712°, elevation 0 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).