Lai Châu weather in October

In October, Lai Châu sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 96 mm of rain across 15 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 26°C in the first days to 24°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in October, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 48 min at the start of October to 11 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Lai Châu's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lai Châu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
7th warmest
Overnight low
18°
7th coldest
Rainfall
96 mm
15 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
6:07 AM – 5:35 PM
Cloud cover
64%
7th clearest
Wind
3 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
3.62 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.0
out of 10

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 26°C in the first days to 24°C by the end.

A typical October day in Lai Châu reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 2°C cooler than September and about 3°C warmer than November.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12619
22619
32619
42619
52619
62619
72619
82619
92619
102619
112518
122518
132518
142518
152518
162518
172518
182518
192518
202518
212418
222417
232417
242417
252417
262417
272417
282417
292416
302416
312416

Lai Châu weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 7th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan18° / 10°631010.85.9
Feb20° / 11°539.411.26.4
Mar24° / 14°10613.811.86.5
Apr26° / 17°13618.712.55.4
May27° / 20°22224.413.14.3
Jun28° / 21°32528.513.33.4
Jul27° / 22°38929.513.23.4
Aug28° / 21°37128.712.83.5
Sep27° / 20°20122.212.14.5
Oct25° / 18°961511.56.0
Nov22° / 14°508.710.96.9
Dec19° / 11°497.410.76.5

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 25% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 57%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24258
34258
44357
54357
64357
74357
84357
94258
104258
114258
124258
134258
144258
154258
164258
174357
184357
194357
204357
214258
224357
234357
244357
254456
264555
274654
284654
294753
304852
314852

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Lai Châu gets around 96 mm of rain over 15 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 48% and peaks near 57% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
157
257
356
456
555
655
754
854
953
1053
1152
1252
1351
1450
1549
1649
1748
1847
1946
2046
2145
2244
2343
2442
2542
2641
2740
2839
2939
3038
3137

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of October feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, October lands in the muggy band about 40% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 41% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
11726615
21827604
31828594
41829593
52830573
62831572
72833552
82934532
92935531
102937511
1121038491
1231039481
1331140461
1431141441
1531242431
1631243411
1741344391
1841445380
1941445360
2041546340
2151647320
2251747300
2361847290
2471947270
2582146250
2692245240
27102344220
28122443210
29132543190
30142642180
31162841160

Wind in October

Winds average 3 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 3 km/h on the calmest days to 3 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
13calm
23calm
33calm
43calm
53calm
63calm
73calm
83calm
93calm
103calm
113calm
123calm
133calm
143calm
153calm
163calm
173calm
183calm
193calm
203calm
213calm
223calm
233calm
243calm
253calm
263calm
273calm
283calm
293calm
303calm
313calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min at the start of October to 11 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 36 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:01 AM to 6:14 AM, and sunset from 5:49 PM to 5:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.86:015:49
211.86:025:48
311.86:025:47
411.76:025:46
511.76:035:45
611.76:035:44
711.76:035:43
811.66:045:42
911.66:045:41
1011.66:055:41
1111.66:055:40
1211.66:055:39
1311.56:065:38
1411.56:065:37
1511.56:075:36
1611.56:075:35
1711.56:075:35
1811.46:085:34
1911.46:085:33
2011.46:095:32
2111.46:095:31
2211.36:105:31
2311.36:105:30
2411.36:115:29
2511.36:115:29
2611.36:125:28
2711.36:125:27
2811.26:135:27
2911.26:135:26
3011.26:145:26
3111.26:145:25

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.62 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.66 kWh/m² to a high of 4.99 kWh/m² in April across the year — October's 3.62 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.1Bright
24.1Bright
34.0Bright
44.0Bright
54.0Moderate
64.0Moderate
73.9Moderate
83.9Moderate
93.8Moderate
103.8Moderate
113.8Moderate
123.7Moderate
133.7Moderate
143.6Moderate
153.6Moderate
163.6Moderate
173.5Moderate
183.5Moderate
193.5Moderate
203.5Moderate
213.5Moderate
223.4Moderate
233.4Moderate
243.4Moderate
253.4Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.4Moderate
283.4Moderate
293.4Moderate
303.4Moderate
313.4Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Lai Châu

In seasonPeak

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

Lai Châu's monsoon runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is October a good time to visit Lai Châu?

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

6.0
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
5.4
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Lai Châu for sightseeing.

What to pack for Lai Châu in October

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

In October, Lai Châu sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 18°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes. About 15 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothes

UV index in Lai Châu in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Lai Châu peaks around June 19 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 5 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highHighJun 19UV 14Dec 19UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan7High
Feb9Very high
Mar11Extreme
Apr9Very high
May11Extreme
Jun14Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct9Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec5High

Air quality in Lai Châu 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 Lai Châu is worst in April — around 70 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.0× the cleanest month (July, 14 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyModerateApr 1367 µg/m³Jul 1814 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan25Moderate
Feb33Moderate
Mar54Poor
Apr70Unhealthy
May28Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov23Moderate
Dec25Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Lai Châu?

Lai Châu sits at 22.4°N, 103.5°E, 919 m above sea level, in Vietnam. The nearest listed city is Sapa, 40 km away.

Thị Trấn Thuận ChâuÍt OngDien Bien PhuSơn La

Topography around Lai Châu

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Lai Châu.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Lai Châu has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 544 m around an average of 1,001 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,836 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,035 m.

The land around Lai Châu is covered by trees (43%) and grassland (32%) within 3 km, trees (74%) within 16 km, and trees (85%) within 80 km.

3 km
544 m
16 km
2,836 m
80 km
3,035 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Sapa 40 km · Lào Cai 54 km · Mường Lay 55 km · Thị Trấn Phố Lu 75 km · Thị Trấn Thuận Châu 109 km · Ít Ong 114 km · Dien Bien Phu 121 km · Sơn La 128 km

Vietnam travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,066
2025
Happiness
6.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
59%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.5
per 100k, 2011
Road deaths
30.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 500
Religion
none 86%Catholic 6%Buddhist 6%Protestant 1%

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 Lai Châu (22.3964°, 103.4582°, elevation 919 m), 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).