AI-generatedPhiladelphia at a glance
- Best time
- Apr – Jun, Aug – Oct
- Warmest month
- Jul · 30°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 24.5°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,160 h
- Rain a year
- 1,090 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC−5 / UTC−4
- Elevation
- 12 m
Climate in Philadelphia
Philadelphia has warm to hot summers and cold winters with occasional snow. July is the warmest month with average highs of 30 °C, while January is the coolest at 5 °C. With around 2,160 hours of sunshine a year, Philadelphia is moderately sunny; July is the sunniest month with 7.6 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Good
Best time to visit: April – June, August – October
October is the peak of the hurricane season
Good forSightseeing & walks
Keep in mindStorm season
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 11°
- Midday, 13:00: about 18°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 18°
- Evening, 20:00: about 15°
- Night, 23:00: about 13°
07:1018:23
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 06:53–07:46 · evening 17:46–18:40
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:42–06:53 · evening 18:40–18:50
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 Philadelphia in October?
In October, Philadelphia is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 18.3 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 90 mm. All in all, October is a good month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 13 min07:10 – 18:23
- UV index
- 4 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 1 daydew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 17 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 51 %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 50 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %40 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %69 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Wetsuit for longer swims
- Sunscreen
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Philadelphia
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 17.1 – 19.7 °C
Swimming season: Jun – Sep
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Philadelphia ranges from 3.0 °C in February to 24.5 °C in August. It is warm enough for a comfortable swim (20 °C and more) from June to September.
The sea warms up slowly: it is warmest in August, while the air already peaks in July. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in August, eight out of ten years were between 23.2 and 25.6 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 3.9° | 1.9° | 5.3° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 3.0° | 1.6° | 5.0° | cold |
| MarchMar | 5.4° | 3.8° | 7.2° | cold |
| AprilApr | 9.6° | 7.7° | 11.6° | cold |
| MayMay | 14.6° | 12.5° | 16.8° | cold |
| JuneJun | 20.2° | 17.8° | 22.1° | refreshing |
| JulyJul | 23.7° | 21.5° | 25.9° | pleasant |
| AugustAug | 24.5° | 23.2° | 25.6° | pleasant |
| SeptemberSep | 22.9° | 21.9° | 24.0° | refreshing |
| OctoberOct | 18.3° | 17.1° | 19.7° | fresh |
| NovemberNov | 12.1° | 10.9° | 13.2° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 7.2° | 5.7° | 9.4° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Philadelphia
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 5.4 of 11.2 hours of daylight in Philadelphia, 48 % 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 Philadelphia
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 40 min
- Light brown skin
- about 55 min
- Olive skin
- about 75 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 Philadelphia: 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, Philadelphia has about 8 rainy days with 90 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Philadelphia
How breezy and how cloudy Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia typically peaks at 17 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, light 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: Jan – Apr.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 51 % of the sky over Philadelphia: variable cloud, with about 5.4 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 Philadelphia
How often the day gets hot in Philadelphia (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, Philadelphia has about 0 hot days, with an average daytime high of 19 °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 Philadelphia
Snow is possible in Philadelphia, 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 Philadelphia.
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 Philadelphia
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°
- Warm 20–24°
- muggy month (10+ muggy days)
CoolOctober: nights around 10°. A duvet at night and a jumper for the evening. Muggy on about 1 days (dew point 18 °C or more).
The coolest nights are in January (−4°), the warmest in July (21°). Tropical nights of 20 °C and more are the rule from July to August; then air conditioning or a fan helps you sleep. Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) in June and in September. Nights fall below 8 °C on average from November to April, so the room should be heated. It is muggy (dew point 18 °C or more) on about 56 days a year, mostly from June 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 | 24 | 5° | −4° | 3.9° | 4.6 h | 9 | 82 |
| FebruaryFeb | 26 | 7° | −3° | 3.0° | 5.2 h | 9 | 78 |
| MarchMar | 43 | 11° | 1° | 5.4° | 5.9 h | 10 | 100 |
| AprilApr | 74 | 17° | 7° | 9.6° | 6.5 h | 11 | 93 |
| MayMay | 77 | 22° | 12° | 14.6° | 6.7 h | 11 | 90 |
| JuneJun | 78 | 27° | 17° | 20.2° | 7.2 h | 11 | 99 |
| JulyJul | 63 | 30° | 21° | 23.7° | 7.6 h | 11 | 97 |
| AugustAug | 67 | 29° | 20° | 24.5° | 6.8 h | 11 | 93 |
| SeptemberSep | 79 | 25° | 16° | 22.9° | 5.8 h | 9 | 96 |
| OctoberOct | 79 | 19° | 10° | 18.3° | 5.4 h | 8 | 90 |
| NovemberNov | 52 | 13° | 4° | 12.1° | 5.0 h | 8 | 71 |
| DecemberDec | 22 | 7° | −1° | 7.2° | 4.2 h | 10 | 101 |
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
39.95° N, 75.16° W · 12 m · America/New_York
Best time to visit Philadelphia
The best time to visit Philadelphia is from April to June and from August to October. For a beach holiday with the sea above 21 °C, go from July to September. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from April to June and from September to October. The wettest month is December with 101 mm of precipitation.
Philadelphia through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Philadelphia in spring
Mar – May
Good
- 11–22 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 6 h of sun a day
- 32 rainy days in all
Philadelphia in summer
Jun – Aug
Good
- 27–30 °C by day
- Sea 23 °C
- 7 h of sun a day
- 33 rainy days in all
Philadelphia in autumn
Sep – Nov
Good
- 13–25 °C by day
- Sea 18 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 25 rainy days in all
Philadelphia in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 5–7 °C by day
- Sea 5 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 28 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Philadelphia for you.
Your best months: May, September
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Philadelphia
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
October and September bring similar holiday weather to Philadelphia (score 79 and 79). In September, days are 6 °C warmer than in October. The sea is 5 °C warmer in September. September has one more rainy day.
| Month | October | September |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 79 | 79 |
| Day high | 19° | 25° |
| Night low | 10° | 16° |
| Sea | 18.3° | 22.9° |
| Sunshine | 5.4 h | 5.8 h |
| Rainy days | 8better | 9 |
| Rainfall | 90 mm | 96 mm |
| Muggy days | 1better | 8 |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
Jul – Sep
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Apr – Jun, Sep – Oct
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Snow
Jan – Feb
Snow on 2 or more days
Philadelphia month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
24January5° · Sea 4° · 5 h
In January, Philadelphia is cold: daytime highs average 5 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). The sea averages 3.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 82 mm in total. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in January26February7° · Sea 3° · 5 h
In February, Philadelphia is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−3 °C). The sea averages 3.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 78 mm in total. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in February43March11° · Sea 5° · 6 h
In March, Philadelphia is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 1 °C. The sea averages 5.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 100 mm in total. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, March is a so-so month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in March74April17° · Sea 10° · 7 h
In April, Philadelphia is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 9.6 °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 93 mm in total. All in all, April is a good month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in April77May22° · Sea 15° · 7 h
In May, Philadelphia is warm: daytime highs average 22 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 14.6 °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 90 mm in total. All in all, May is a good month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in May78June27° · Sea 20° · 7 h
In June, Philadelphia is hot: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. The sea averages 20.2 °C – refreshing for a swim. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 99 mm in total. On about 7 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, June is a good month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in June63July30° · Sea 24° · 8 h
In July, Philadelphia is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 21 °C. The sea averages 23.7 °C – pleasant for swimming. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 97 mm in total. On about 15 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, July is a good month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in July67August29° · Sea 25° · 7 h
In August, Philadelphia is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and nights cool down to about 20 °C. The sea averages 24.5 °C – pleasant for swimming. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 93 mm in total. On about 11 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, August is a good month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in August79September25° · Sea 23° · 6 h
In September, Philadelphia is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sea averages 22.9 °C – refreshing for a swim. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 9 days, adding up to 96 mm. All in all, September is a good month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in September79October19° · Sea 18° · 5 h
In October, Philadelphia is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 18.3 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 90 mm. All in all, October is a good month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in October52November13° · Sea 12° · 5 h
In November, Philadelphia is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 12.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 71 mm. All in all, November is a so-so month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in November22December7° · Sea 7° · 4 h
In December, Philadelphia is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−1 °C). The sea averages 7.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 101 mm in total. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in DecemberPhiladelphia compared
Put Philadelphia side by side with another destination.
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Philadelphia vs. Atlantic City
In October the holiday weather in Philadelphia and Atlantic City is about equally good (score 79 vs. 81). During the day Atlantic City is 1 °C cooler than Philadelphia. The sea is about equally warm. Atlantic City gets one more hour of sunshine a day.
| in October | Philadelphia | Atlantic City |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 79 | 81 |
| Daytime high | 19° | 18° |
| Sea | 18° | 18° |
| Sunshine | 5 h | 6 h |
| Rainy days | 8 | 8 |
| Best time | Apr – Jun, Aug – Oct | Jul – Sep |
Through the year
USA in October: the best places
In October, Philadelphia ranks 4 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Raleigh22°84
- 2Richmond21°82
- 3Washington20°19°81
- 4PhiladelphiaThis page19°18°79
- 5Baltimore19°18°79
- 6New York18°18°77
- 7Columbus18°76
- 8Providence17°17°70
Planning a trip to Philadelphia
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Philadelphia 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.
Philadelphia has its best school-holiday weather during October half-term (score 79) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 23).
- 65
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Good
- 16 °C by day
- Sea 8 °C
- 6.3 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
- 77
May half-term
May – Jun
Good
- 23 °C by day
- Sea 16 °C
- 6.8 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 66
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Good
- 29 °C by day
- Sea 24 °C
- 7.1 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
Good for: Beach & swimming
Keep in mind: Storm season
- 79
October half-term
Oct
GoodBest holidays
- 19 °C by day
- Sea 18 °C
- 5.4 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
Keep in mind: Storm season
- 23
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 6 °C by day
- Sea 6 °C
- 4.4 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 7 h 20 min
- Distance
- 5,680 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
Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia
When is the best time to visit Philadelphia?
The best time to visit Philadelphia is from April to June and from August to October. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Philadelphia?
The sea temperature in Philadelphia ranges from 3.0 °C in February to 24.5 °C in August. It is warm enough for a comfortable swim (20 °C and more) from June to September.
Can you swim in Philadelphia in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 18.3 °C. Comfortable swimming is possible from June to September.
What is the warmest month in Philadelphia?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C and nights around 21 °C. January is the coolest month at 5 °C.
When does it rain most in Philadelphia?
The wettest month is December with 101 mm of precipitation. The driest month is November with 71 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Philadelphia get?
Philadelphia gets around 2,160 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 7.6 hours a day; in December there are 4.2 hours a day.
What time zone is Philadelphia in?
Philadelphia uses the time zone America/New_York: UTC−5 in January and UTC−4 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Philadelphia?
A nonstop flight from London to Philadelphia takes about 7 h 20 min, for a straight-line distance of about 5,680 km.
When is hurricane season in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia?
Philadelphia has its best school-holiday weather during October half-term (score 79) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 23). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 65, May half-term 77, Summer holidays 66, October half-term 79, Christmas holidays 23.
Near Philadelphia
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Philadelphia
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Philadelphia's – good alternatives.