AI-generatedMadison at a glance
- Best time
- May – Sep
- Warmest month
- Jul · 28°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,130 h
- Rain a year
- 902 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC−6 / UTC−5
- Elevation
- 267 m
Climate in Madison
Madison has warm to hot summers and cold winters with occasional snow. July is the warmest month with average highs of 28 °C, while January is the coolest at −3 °C. With around 2,130 hours of sunshine a year, Madison is moderately sunny; July is the sunniest month with 8.4 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Best time to visit Madison
The best time to visit Madison is from May to September. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from June to October. The wettest month is June with 115 mm of precipitation.
Madison through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Madison in spring
Mar – May
Fair
- 7–21 °C by day
- 6.2 h of sun a day
- 34 rainy days in all
Madison in summer
Jun – Aug
Excellent
- 26–28 °C by day
- 8.0 h of sun a day
- 32 rainy days in all
Madison in autumn
Sep – Nov
Fair
- 7–23 °C by day
- 5.2 h of sun a day
- 25 rainy days in all
Madison in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- −3–0 °C by day
- 3.9 h of sun a day
- 22 rainy days in all
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No sea nearby
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Jun – Oct
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Snow
Dec – Mar
Snow on 2 or more days
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Madison for you.
Your best months: September
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Weather in October
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Good
Best time to visit: May – September
Good forSightseeing & walks
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 6°
- Midday, 13:00: about 15°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 15°
- Evening, 20:00: about 10°
- Night, 23:00: about 8°
07:1018:17
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 06:52–07:48 · evening 17:38–18:34
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:41–06:52 · evening 18:34–18:45
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
October in Madison compared with home
Loading the climate at home …
Early or late October?
In October, daytime highs fall from about 19° at the start of the month to 11° at the end. The days get 1.4 h shorter.
| October | 1 Oct | 31 Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime high | 19° | 11° |
| Night-time low | 7° | 1° |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.4 h |
What is the weather like in Madison in October?
In October, Madison is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. Expect around 5.0 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 73 mm in total. All in all, October is a good month for a holiday in Madison.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 7 min07:10 – 18:17
- UV index
- 3 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 19 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 57 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC−5offset from UTC
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %75 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %33 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %61 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Compare two months in Madison
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
August has the better holiday weather in Madison: score 83 against 63. In August, days are 11 °C warmer than in October. August has one more rainy day. The sun shines 3 hours longer a day in August.
| Month | October | August |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 63 | 83better |
| Daytime high | 16° | 27° |
| Night-time low | 5° | 16° |
| Sunshine | 5.0 h | 7.6 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 9better | 10 |
| Rainfall | 73 mmbetter | 97 mm |
| Muggy days | 0better | 10 |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Madison month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
25January−3° · 3.7 h
In January, Madison is bitterly cold: daytime highs average −3 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−11 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 3.7 hours a day. Precipitation falls on about 7 days, totalling 42 mm; on about 5 of them it snows. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in January29February0° · 4.7 h
In February, Madison is bitterly cold: daytime highs average 0 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−9 °C). Expect around 4.7 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation falls on about 7 days, totalling 42 mm; on about 4 of them it snows. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in February28March7° · 5.6 h
In March, Madison is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). Expect around 5.6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 65 mm in total. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in March54April14° · 6.2 h
In April, Madison is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. Expect around 6.2 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 100 mm in total. All in all, April is a so-so month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in April74May21° · 6.8 h
In May, Madison is mild: daytime highs average 21 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sun shines for around 6.8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 104 mm in total. All in all, May is a good month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in May80June26° · 8.0 h
In June, Madison is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sun shines for around 8.0 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 115 mm in total. On about 5 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, June is an excellent month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in June78July28° · 8.4 h
In July, Madison is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. The sun shines for around 8.4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 83 mm in total. On about 9 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, July is a good month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in July83August27° · 7.6 h
In August, Madison is warm: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun shines for around 7.6 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 97 mm in total. All in all, August is an excellent month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in August82September23° · 6.6 h
In September, Madison is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sun shines for around 6.6 hours a day. Rain falls on about 9 days, adding up to 82 mm. All in all, September is an excellent month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in September63October16° · 5.0 h
In October, Madison is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. Expect around 5.0 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 73 mm in total. All in all, October is a good month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in October26November7° · 4.0 h
In November, Madison is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−2 °C). Expect around 4.0 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 50 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in November23December0° · 3.3 h
In December, Madison is bitterly cold: daytime highs average 0 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−7 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 3.3 hours a day. Precipitation falls on about 8 days, totalling 51 mm; on about 5 of them it snows. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Madison.
Madison in DecemberClimate in detail
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Madison
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Frost below 0°
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
- Pleasant 15–20°
ColdOctober: nights around 5°. The room should be heated.
The coolest nights are in January (−11°), the warmest in July (17°). Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) from July to August. Nights fall below 8 °C on average from October to April, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 25 | −3° | −11° | 3.7 h | 7 | 42 |
| FebruaryFeb | 29 | 0° | −9° | 4.7 h | 7 | 42 |
| MarchMar | 28 | 7° | −4° | 5.6 h | 9 | 65 |
| AprilApr | 54 | 14° | 2° | 6.2 h | 12 | 100 |
| MayMay | 74 | 21° | 9° | 6.8 h | 13 | 104 |
| JuneJun | 80 | 26° | 14° | 8.0 h | 12 | 115 |
| JulyJul | 78 | 28° | 17° | 8.4 h | 10 | 83 |
| AugustAug | 83 | 27° | 16° | 7.6 h | 10 | 97 |
| SeptemberSep | 82 | 23° | 11° | 6.6 h | 9 | 82 |
| OctoberOct | 63 | 16° | 5° | 5.0 h | 9 | 73 |
| NovemberNov | 26 | 7° | −2° | 4.0 h | 7 | 50 |
| DecemberDec | 23 | 0° | −7° | 3.3 h | 8 | 51 |
Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
43.07° N, 89.40° W · 267 m · America/Chicago
Sunshine hours in Madison
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 5.0 of 11.1 hours of daylight in Madison, 45 % of the daylight hours.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain in Madison: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Madison has about 9 rainy days with 73 mm of rain in total.
UV index in Madison
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 3 · moderateAround midday seek shade; use sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 9).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 40 min
- Fair skin
- about 50 min
- Light brown skin
- about 65 min
- Olive skin
- about 85 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen the time, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Wind and clouds in Madison
How breezy and how cloudy Madison is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Madison typically peaks at 19 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, gentle breeze.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 57 % of the sky over Madison: variable cloud, with about 5.0 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Heat and humidity in Madison
How often the day gets hot in Madison (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.
Heat calendar
- pleasant
- some hot or muggy days
- often muggy
- often hot
- hot and muggy
In October, Madison has about 0 hot days, with an average daytime high of 16 °C: pleasant. Heat plays no part this month.
Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year
Snow in Madison
When Madison is likely to be white: the chance of seeing snow during a week's stay, the days with fresh snow and how much falls. Tap a month to select it.
Snow calendar
- hardly any
- possible
- likely
- very likely
In October, it hardly ever snows in Madison.
Snow days bring at least 1 cm of fresh snow. Fresh snow comes from ERA5 snowfall (1996–2025) at the height of the place, not on the slopes above it; the snow chance also weighs whether the snow settles. An estimate from climate averages, not a snow report.
Planning a trip to Madison
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Madison in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Madison has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 81) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 24).
- 46
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Fair
- 12 °C by day
- 6.0 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 75
May half-term
May – Jun
Good
- 22 °C by day
- 7.0 h of sun a day
- 13 rainy days a month
- 81
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
ExcellentBest holidays
- 27 °C by day
- 7.9 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 63
October half-term
Oct
Good
- 16 °C by day
- 5.0 h of sun a day
- 9 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 24
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- −1 °C by day
- 3.5 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 8 h 10 min
- Distance
- 6,350 km
- Time zone
- UTC−5
- Jet lag
- About 4 days (6 h west)
Rule of thumb for flying west: for a few days before, stay up a little later, and get afternoon and evening light at your destination.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Compare & alternatives
Madison compared
Put Madison side by side with another destination.
Madison vs Milwaukee
In October Milwaukee has the better holiday weather (score 68 vs 63). During the day Milwaukee is 1 °C warmer than Madison.
| in October | Madison | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 63 | 68 |
| Daytime high | 16° | 17° |
| Sunshine | 5 h | 5 h |
| Rainy days | 9 | 9 |
| Best time | May – Sep | May – Oct |
Through the year
USA in October: the best places
In October, Madison ranks 23 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Wichita22°85
- 2Memphis24°84
- 3Little Rock23°84
- 4Huntsville25°84
- 5Omaha19°83
- 6Nashville23°82
- 7Knoxville22°82
- 8Tulsa23°82
- 23MadisonThis page16°63
Near Madison
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Madison
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Madison's – good alternatives.
Frequently asked questions about Madison
When is the best time to visit Madison?
The best time to visit Madison is from May to September. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Madison?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C and nights around 17 °C. January is the coolest month at −3 °C.
When does it rain most in Madison?
The wettest month is June with 115 mm of precipitation. The driest month is February with 42 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Madison get?
Madison gets around 2,130 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 8.4 hours a day; in December there are 3.3 hours a day.
What time zone is Madison in?
Madison is on UTC−6 in January and UTC−5 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Madison?
A nonstop flight from London to Madison takes about 8 h 10 min, for a straight-line distance of about 6,350 km.
Which school holidays are best for Madison?
Madison has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 81) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 24). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 46, May half-term 75, summer holidays 81, October half-term 63, Christmas holidays 24.