AI-generatedNantucket at a glance
- Best time
- Jul – Aug
- Warmest month
- Aug · 21°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 20.3°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,220 h
- Rain a year
- 1,240 mm
- Climate
- Maritime
- Time zone
- UTC−5 / UTC−4
- Elevation
- 13 m
Climate in Nantucket
Nantucket has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. August is the warmest month with average highs of 21 °C, while February is the coolest at 4 °C. With around 2,220 hours of sunshine a year, Nantucket is sunny; July is the sunniest month with 8.6 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: July – August
October is the peak of the hurricane season
Good forSightseeing & walks
Keep in mindStorm season
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 14°
- Midday, 13:00: about 15°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 15°
- Evening, 20:00: about 14°
- Night, 23:00: about 14°
06:5118:01
Cool evenings: pack a jumper or a jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 06:34–07:28 · evening 17:24–18:18
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:23–06:34 · evening 18:18–18:29
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.
What is the weather like in Nantucket in October?
In October, Nantucket is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sea averages 15.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 131 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 37 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nantucket.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 11 min06:51 – 18:01
- UV index
- 4 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 37 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 53 %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−4America/New_York
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
- Seaweight 25 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %42 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %57 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
- Windproof jacket
Sea temperature in Nantucket
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 14.1 – 16.3 °C
Swimming season: Aug
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Nantucket ranges from 3.3 °C in February to 20.3 °C in August. It is warm enough for a comfortable swim (20 °C and more) in August.
In January the sea is even warmer than the afternoon air. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in August, eight out of ten years were between 18.5 and 22.1 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 4.7° | 3.5° | 5.7° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 3.3° | 2.4° | 4.5° | cold |
| MarchMar | 3.9° | 2.6° | 5.2° | cold |
| AprilApr | 6.7° | 5.3° | 7.7° | cold |
| MayMay | 10.4° | 8.9° | 11.9° | cold |
| JuneJun | 15.0° | 13.3° | 16.4° | cold |
| JulyJul | 19.2° | 17.3° | 21.2° | fresh |
| AugustAug | 20.3° | 18.5° | 22.1° | refreshing |
| SeptemberSep | 18.8° | 17.3° | 20.1° | fresh |
| OctoberOct | 15.3° | 14.1° | 16.3° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 11.0° | 10.1° | 11.8° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 7.3° | 6.3° | 8.6° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Nantucket
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 5.5 of 11.2 hours of daylight in Nantucket, 49 % of the day.
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.
UV index in Nantucket
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 4 · moderateAround midday seek shade; use sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 10).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 35 min
- Fair skin
- about 45 min
- Light brown skin
- about 60 min
- Olive skin
- about 80 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, 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.
Rain in Nantucket: 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, Nantucket has about 10 rainy days with 131 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Nantucket
How breezy and how cloudy Nantucket 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 Nantucket typically peaks at 37 km/h during the day: Beaufort 5, fresh breeze.
Breezy months for windsurfing and kiting
From Beaufort 4 (20 km/h) the daily breeze is usually enough for windsurfing and often for kiting, and here it gets there all year.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 53 % of the sky over Nantucket: variable cloud, with about 5.5 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 Nantucket
How often the day gets hot in Nantucket (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, Nantucket has about 0 hot days, with an average daytime high of 15 °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 Nantucket
Snow is possible in Nantucket, but no month makes it likely: 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 Nantucket.
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.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Nantucket
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
- Pleasant 15–20°
- muggy month (10+ muggy days)
CoolOctober: nights around 13°. A duvet at night and a jumper for the evening.
The coolest nights are in February (0°), the warmest in August (19°). Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) from June to September. Nights fall below 8 °C on average from December to April, so the room should be heated. It is muggy (dew point 18 °C or more) on about 40 days a year, mostly from July to August.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 11 | 4° | 0° | 4.7° | 3.8 h | 12 | 117 |
| FebruaryFeb | 15 | 4° | 0° | 3.3° | 4.6 h | 11 | 105 |
| MarchMar | 20 | 5° | 2° | 3.9° | 5.9 h | 11 | 116 |
| AprilApr | 23 | 8° | 6° | 6.7° | 6.9 h | 11 | 103 |
| MayMay | 26 | 12° | 10° | 10.4° | 7.3 h | 10 | 94 |
| JuneJun | 31 | 16° | 15° | 15.0° | 8.1 h | 8 | 80 |
| JulyJul | 48 | 20° | 19° | 19.2° | 8.6 h | 8 | 77 |
| AugustAug | 52 | 21° | 19° | 20.3° | 7.8 h | 8 | 87 |
| SeptemberSep | 32 | 19° | 17° | 18.8° | 6.6 h | 8 | 104 |
| OctoberOct | 20 | 15° | 13° | 15.3° | 5.5 h | 10 | 131 |
| NovemberNov | 17 | 11° | 8° | 11.0° | 4.3 h | 9 | 104 |
| DecemberDec | 10 | 8° | 4° | 7.3° | 3.5 h | 12 | 123 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, 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
41.28° N, 70.10° W · 13 m · America/New_York
Best time to visit Nantucket
The best time to visit Nantucket is from July to August. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 20.3 °C. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from June to October. Rain is most frequent from December to January; the wettest month is October with 131 mm.
Nantucket through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Nantucket in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- 5–12 °C by day
- Sea 7 °C
- 7 h of sun a day
- 32 rainy days in all
Nantucket in summer
Jun – Aug
Fair
- 16–21 °C by day
- Sea 18 °C
- 8 h of sun a day
- 25 rainy days in all
Nantucket in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- 11–19 °C by day
- Sea 15 °C
- 6 h of sun a day
- 28 rainy days in all
Nantucket in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 4–8 °C by day
- Sea 5 °C
- 4 h of sun a day
- 36 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Nantucket for you.
Your best months: July – August
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Nantucket
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 Nantucket: score 52 against 20. In August, days are 6 °C warmer than in October. The sea is 5 °C warmer in August. August has 2 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 2 hours longer a day in August.
| Month | October | August |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 20 | 52better |
| Day high | 15° | 21° |
| Night low | 13° | 19° |
| Sea | 15.3° | 20.3° |
| Sunshine | 5.5 h | 7.8 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 10 | 8better |
| Rainfall | 131 mm | 87 mmbetter |
| Muggy days | 0better | 17 |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No month
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Jun – Oct
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Dec – Jan
12 or more rainy days
Snow
Jan – Mar
Snow on 2 or more days
Nantucket month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
11January4° · Sea 5° · 4 h
In January, Nantucket is cold: daytime highs average 4 °C, and nights cool down to about 0 °C. The sea averages 4.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 117 mm in total. Snow falls on about 3 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 43 km/h. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in January15February4° · Sea 3° · 5 h
In February, Nantucket is cold: daytime highs average 4 °C, and nights cool down to about 0 °C. The sea averages 3.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 105 mm in total. Snow falls on about 3 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 42 km/h. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in February20March5° · Sea 4° · 6 h
In March, Nantucket is cold: daytime highs average 5 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sea averages 3.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 116 mm in total. Snow falls on about 2 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 41 km/h. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in March23April8° · Sea 7° · 7 h
In April, Nantucket is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 6.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 103 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 37 km/h. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in April26May12° · Sea 10° · 7 h
In May, Nantucket is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 10.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 94 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 32 km/h. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in May31June16° · Sea 15° · 8 h
In June, Nantucket is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. The sea averages 15.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 80 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 29 km/h. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in June48July20° · Sea 19° · 9 h
In July, Nantucket is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 19 °C. The sea averages 19.2 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 77 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, July is a so-so month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in July52August21° · Sea 20° · 8 h
In August, Nantucket is mild: daytime highs average 21 °C, and nights cool down to about 19 °C. The sea averages 20.3 °C – refreshing for a swim. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 87 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, August is a so-so month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in August32September19° · Sea 19° · 7 h
In September, Nantucket is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. The sea averages 18.8 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 104 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 30 km/h. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in September20October15° · Sea 15° · 6 h
In October, Nantucket is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sea averages 15.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 131 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 37 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in October17November11° · Sea 11° · 4 h
In November, Nantucket is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 11.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 104 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 40 km/h. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in November10December8° · Sea 7° · 4 h
In December, Nantucket is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 7.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 123 mm in total. Snow falls on about 2 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 42 km/h. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nantucket.
Nantucket in DecemberNantucket compared
Put Nantucket side by side with another destination.
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Nantucket vs. Edgartown
In October the holiday weather in Nantucket and Edgartown is about equally good (score 20 vs. 20). During the day Edgartown is 1 °C warmer than Nantucket. The sea in Edgartown is 1 °C warmer. Edgartown gets one hour less sunshine a day.
| in October | Nantucket | Edgartown |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 20 | 20 |
| Daytime high | 15° | 16° |
| Sea | 15° | 16° |
| Sunshine | 6 h | 5 h |
| Rainy days | 10 | 9 |
| Best time | Jul – Aug | Jul – Aug |
Through the year
USA in October: the best places
In October, Nantucket ranks 26 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Raleigh22°84
- 2Richmond21°82
- 3Washington20°19°81
- 4Philadelphia19°18°79
- 5Baltimore19°18°79
- 6New York18°18°77
- 7Providence17°17°70
- 8Pittsburgh18°69
- 26NantucketThis page15°15°20
Planning a trip to Nantucket
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Nantucket 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.
Nantucket has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 51) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 11).
- 22
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 7 °C by day
- Sea 6 °C
- 6.6 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 27
May half-term
May – Jun
Poor
- 13 °C by day
- Sea 11 °C
- 7.5 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
- 51
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
FairBest holidays
- 21 °C by day
- Sea 20 °C
- 8.1 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
Keep in mind: Storm season
- 20
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 15 °C by day
- Sea 15 °C
- 5.5 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
Keep in mind: Storm season
- 11
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 6 °C by day
- Sea 6 °C
- 3.7 h of sun a day
- 12 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 6 h 50 min
- Distance
- 5,250 km
- Time zone
- UTC−4
- Jet lag
- About 3 days (5 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.
Storm season
Nantucket lies in an area that Atlantic hurricanes can reach. The hurricane season runs from June to November, with most storms from August to October. A direct hit on any one place is rare, but if you travel then, keep an eye on weather warnings and book flexibly.
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June: Season
- July: Season
- August: Peak
- September: Peak
- October: Peak
- November: Season
- December
Official season dates of the regional warning centres (NOAA, JMA, IMD, Météo-France, BoM); not a forecast.
Frequently asked questions about Nantucket
When is the best time to visit Nantucket?
The best time to visit Nantucket is from July to August. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Nantucket?
The sea temperature in Nantucket ranges from 3.3 °C in February to 20.3 °C in August. It is warm enough for a comfortable swim (20 °C and more) in August.
Can you swim in Nantucket in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 15.3 °C. Comfortable swimming is possible in August.
What is the warmest month in Nantucket?
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 21 °C and nights around 19 °C. February is the coolest month at 4 °C.
When does it rain most in Nantucket?
Rain is most frequent from December to January; the wettest month is October with 131 mm. The driest month is July with 77 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Nantucket get?
Nantucket gets around 2,220 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 8.6 hours a day; in December there are 3.5 hours a day.
What time zone is Nantucket in?
Nantucket uses the time zone America/New_York: UTC−5 in January and UTC−4 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Nantucket?
A nonstop flight from London to Nantucket takes about 6 h 50 min, for a straight-line distance of about 5,250 km.
When is hurricane season in Nantucket?
Nantucket lies in an area that Atlantic hurricanes can reach. The hurricane season runs from June to November, with most storms from August to October. A direct hit on any one place is rare, but if you travel then, keep an eye on weather warnings and book flexibly.
Which school holidays are best for Nantucket?
Nantucket has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 51) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 11). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 22, May half-term 27, Summer holidays 51, October half-term 20, Christmas holidays 11.
Near Nantucket
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Nantucket
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Nantucket's – good alternatives.