Washington, D.C. weather in October
Temperature, sea and sunshine in October: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in October
Excellent
Best time to visit: April – June, September – October
What is the weather like in Washington, D.C. in October?
In October, Washington, D.C. is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sea averages 18.6 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 81 mm. All in all, October is an excellent month for a holiday in Washington, D.C..
October compared
How the weather changes from September to November. Tap a month to open it.
| SeptemberSep | OctoberOct | NovemberNov | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 78 | 81 | 58 |
| Day | 26° | 20° | 14° |
| Night | 17° | 11° | 5° |
| Sea | 24° | 19° | 12° |
| Sun | 6 h | 6 h | 5 h |
| Rain days | 10 | 8 | 7 |
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 15 min07:16 – 18:31
- UV index
- 4 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 2 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 15 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 49 %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 %43 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %74 %
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
Washington, D.C. in October: quick answers
Is Washington, D.C. hot in October?
No. In October, Washington, D.C. is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C and nights drop to about 11 °C.
Can you swim in Washington, D.C. in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 18.6 °C. Comfortable swimming is possible from June to September.
Does it rain much in Washington, D.C. in October?
Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 81 mm.
Washington, D.C. month by month
The whole year in Washington, D.C.All destinations: USAWhere to go in OctoberSea temperature in October
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