AI-generatedSt. John's at a glance
- Best time
- May – Aug
- Warmest month
- Aug · 20°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 14.5°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,520 h
- Rain a year
- 1,151 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC−3:30 / UTC−2:30
- Elevation
- 35 m
Climate in St. John's
St. John's has warm to hot summers and cold winters with occasional snow. August is the warmest month with average highs of 20 °C, while February is the coolest at 0 °C. With around 1,520 hours of sunshine a year, St. John's is rather dull; July is the sunniest month with 5.8 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: May – August
Keep in mindFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 7°
- Midday, 13:00: about 11°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 11°
- Evening, 20:00: about 9°
- Night, 23:00: about 8°
07:1818:15
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 06:59–08:00 · evening 17:33–18:34
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:47–06:59 · evening 18:34–18:46
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 St. John's in October?
In October, St. John's is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 9.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 100 mm in total. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 10 h 57 min07:18 – 18:15
- UV index
- 3 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 28 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 73 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC−2:30America/St_Johns
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
- Seaweight 25 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %5 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %42 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in October
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in St. John's
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 8.1 – 10.6 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in St. John's ranges from −0.1 °C in March to 14.5 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
From January to February 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 13.6 and 15.7 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 1.1° | 0.2° | 2.0° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 0.1° | −0.5° | 0.7° | cold |
| MarchMar | −0.1° | −0.7° | 0.5° | cold |
| AprilApr | 0.6° | 0.0° | 1.3° | cold |
| MayMay | 2.7° | 1.8° | 3.5° | cold |
| JuneJun | 6.2° | 4.9° | 7.2° | cold |
| JulyJul | 11.2° | 9.7° | 12.6° | cold |
| AugustAug | 14.5° | 13.6° | 15.7° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 12.6° | 11.5° | 13.5° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 9.5° | 8.1° | 10.6° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 5.9° | 4.7° | 7.2° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 2.9° | 2.0° | 3.9° | cold |
Sunshine hours in St. John's
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 3.3 of 11.0 hours of daylight in St. John's, 30 % 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 St. John's
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 8).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 50 min
- Fair skin
- about 65 min
- Light brown skin
- about 90 min
- Olive skin
- about 115 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 St. John's: 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, St. John's has about 12 rainy days with 100 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in St. John's
How breezy and how cloudy St. John's 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 St. John's typically peaks at 28 km/h during the day: Beaufort 4, moderate 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 73 % of the sky over St. John's: mostly cloudy, with about 3.3 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.
Snow in St. John's
When St. John's 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 St. John's.
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 St. John's
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°
ColdOctober: nights around 7°. The room should be heated.
The coolest nights are in February (−6°), the warmest in August (14°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from October to June, 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 | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 5 | 1° | −5° | 1.1° | 2.5 h | 15 | 126 |
| FebruaryFeb | 8 | 0° | −6° | 0.1° | 3.3 h | 13 | 105 |
| MarchMar | 12 | 1° | −4° | −0.1° | 4.3 h | 13 | 100 |
| AprilApr | 13 | 5° | 0° | 0.6° | 4.6 h | 12 | 90 |
| MayMay | 19 | 9° | 3° | 2.7° | 5.7 h | 11 | 72 |
| JuneJun | 19 | 14° | 7° | 6.2° | 5.5 h | 10 | 69 |
| JulyJul | 23 | 20° | 13° | 11.2° | 5.8 h | 10 | 75 |
| AugustAug | 24 | 20° | 14° | 14.5° | 5.4 h | 11 | 81 |
| SeptemberSep | 17 | 17° | 11° | 12.6° | 5.0 h | 11 | 90 |
| OctoberOct | 9 | 11° | 7° | 9.5° | 3.3 h | 12 | 100 |
| NovemberNov | 6 | 7° | 3° | 5.9° | 2.5 h | 14 | 120 |
| DecemberDec | 4 | 3° | −2° | 2.9° | 2.1 h | 15 | 125 |
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
47.56° N, 52.71° W · 35 m · America/St_Johns
Best time to visit St. John's
The best time to visit St. John's is from May to August. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 14.5 °C. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from July to September. Rain is most frequent from October to April; the wettest month is January with 126 mm.
St. John's through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
St. John's in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- 1–9 °C by day
- Sea 1 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 37 rainy days in all
St. John's in summer
Jun – Aug
Poor
- 14–20 °C by day
- Sea 11 °C
- 6 h of sun a day
- 32 rainy days in all
St. John's in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- 7–17 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 4 h of sun a day
- 37 rainy days in all
St. John's in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 0–3 °C by day
- Sea 1 °C
- 3 h of sun a day
- 43 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in St. John's for you.
Your best months: June – August
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in St. John's
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 St. John's: score 24 against 9. In August, days are 9 °C warmer than in October. The sea is 5 °C warmer in August. August has one rainy day fewer. The sun shines 2 hours longer a day in August.
| Month | October | August |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 9 | 24better |
| Day high | 11° | 20° |
| Night low | 7° | 14° |
| Sea | 9.5° | 14.5° |
| Sunshine | 3.3 h | 5.4 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 12 | 11better |
| Rainfall | 100 mm | 81 mmbetter |
| Muggy days | 0better | 1 |
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
Jul – Sep
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Oct – Apr
12 or more rainy days
Snow
Nov – Apr
Snow on 2 or more days
St. John's month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
5January1° · Sea 1° · 3 h
In January, St. John's is freezing cold: daytime highs average 1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−5 °C). The sea averages 1.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 15 days, totalling 126 mm. Snow falls on about 9 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 33 km/h. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in January8February0° · Sea 0° · 3 h
In February, St. John's is freezing cold: daytime highs average 0 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−6 °C). The sea averages 0.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 13 days, totalling 105 mm. Snow falls on about 8 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 32 km/h. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in February12March1° · Sea 0° · 4 h
In March, St. John's is freezing cold: daytime highs average 1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). The sea averages −0.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 13 days, totalling 100 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 30 km/h. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in March13April5° · Sea 1° · 5 h
In April, St. John's is cold: daytime highs average 5 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (0 °C). The sea averages 0.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 90 mm in total. Snow falls on about 4 days. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in April19May9° · Sea 3° · 6 h
In May, St. John's is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 2.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 72 mm in total. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in May19June14° · Sea 6° · 6 h
In June, St. John's is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 6.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 69 mm in total. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in June23July20° · Sea 11° · 6 h
In July, St. John's is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sea averages 11.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 75 mm in total. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in July24August20° · Sea 15° · 5 h
In August, St. John's is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sea averages 14.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 81 mm in total. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in August17September17° · Sea 13° · 5 h
In September, St. John's is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sea averages 12.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 90 mm in total. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in September9October11° · Sea 10° · 3 h
In October, St. John's is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 9.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 100 mm in total. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in October6November7° · Sea 6° · 3 h
In November, St. John's is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 5.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 120 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 30 km/h. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in November4December3° · Sea 3° · 2 h
In December, St. John's is freezing cold: daytime highs average 3 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−2 °C). The sea averages 2.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 15 days, totalling 125 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 33 km/h. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in St. John's.
St. John's in DecemberSt. John's compared
Put St. John's side by side with another destination.
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St. John's vs. Gander
In October the holiday weather in St. John's and Gander is about equally good (score 9 vs. 9). During the day it is about as warm in Gander as in St. John's. Gander gets one more hour of sunshine a day.
| in October | St. John's | Gander |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 9 | 9 |
| Daytime high | 11° | 11° |
| Sea | 10° | – |
| Sunshine | 3 h | 4 h |
| Rainy days | 12 | 14 |
| Best time | May – Aug | Jun – Sep |
Through the year
Canada in October: the best places
In October, St. John's ranks 29 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Hamilton15°53
- 2Toronto14°52
- 3Niagara-on-the-Lake15°51
- 4Niagara Falls15°51
- 5London15°50
- 6Halifax14°14°49
- 7Collingwood (Blue Mountains)13°47
- 8Ottawa13°44
- 29St. John'sThis page11°10°9
Planning a trip to St. John's
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
St. John's 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.
St. John's has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 24) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 5).
- 13
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 4 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 4.5 h of sun a day
- 13 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
- 19
May half-term
May – Jun
Poor
- 10 °C by day
- Sea 3 °C
- 5.7 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
- 24
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
PoorBest holidays
- 20 °C by day
- Sea 13 °C
- 5.5 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 9
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 11 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 3.3 h of sun a day
- 12 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 5
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 2 °C by day
- Sea 2 °C
- 2.3 h of sun a day
- 15 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 5 h
- Distance
- 3,720 km
- Time zone
- UTC−2:30
- Jet lag
- About 2 days (4 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.
Frequently asked questions about St. John's
When is the best time to visit St. John's?
The best time to visit St. John's is from May to August. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in St. John's?
The sea temperature in St. John's ranges from −0.1 °C in March to 14.5 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in St. John's in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 9.5 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in St. John's?
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 20 °C and nights around 14 °C. February is the coolest month at 0 °C.
When does it rain most in St. John's?
Rain is most frequent from October to April; the wettest month is January with 126 mm. The driest month is June with 69 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does St. John's get?
St. John's gets around 1,520 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 5.8 hours a day; in December there are 2.1 hours a day.
What time zone is St. John's in?
St. John's uses the time zone America/St_Johns: UTC−3:30 in January and UTC−2:30 in July.
How long is the flight from London to St. John's?
A nonstop flight from London to St. John's takes about 5 h, for a straight-line distance of about 3,720 km.
Which school holidays are best for St. John's?
St. John's has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 24) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 5). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 13, May half-term 19, Summer holidays 24, October half-term 9, Christmas holidays 5.
Near St. John's
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like St. John's
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to St. John's's – good alternatives.