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Monthly Summary
October 2026 Summary – Fourth Sunniest on Record
October view of local foliage with Observatory shadow looking west from the summit of Great Blue Hill. Photo by M. Iacono.
October at a Glance
October 2026 was warmer and drier than normal and the fourth sunniest on record on the summit of Great Blue Hill. A single storm on Oct. 11-12 delivered nearly 80% of the month’s precipitation. No daily records were set. Normals below are for 1991 to 2020. All observations are preliminary.
| Measure | October 2026 | Compared with normal |
|---|---|---|
| Mean temperature | 54.1°F | 1.6°F above |
| Warmest / coldest | 84°F (Oct. 2) / 32°F (Oct. 18) | No daily records |
| Precipitation | 2.18 in. | 3.31 in. below |
| Greatest in 24 hours | 1.72 in. (Oct 11-12) | |
| Snowfall | 0.0 in. | 0.7 in. below (season to date) |
| Peak gust | 44 mph NW (Oct. 30) | |
| Sunshine | 72% of possible | 17% above, 4th sunniest |
Temperature
The mean temperature was 54.1°F, 1.6°F above normal. The average high was 63.4°F (2.4°F above normal) and the average low was 44.7°F (0.7°F above normal).
The warmest reading was 84°F on Oct. 2, a day whose mean of 74°F ran 16°F above normal. Another warm afternoon reached 77°F on Oct. 14. The coldest reading was 32°F on Oct. 18, the only day of the month at or below freezing and a few days earlier than the average first freeze. Lows also dipped to 33°F on Oct. 28 and 34°F on Oct. 17.
Heating degree days totaled 341, which is 53 below normal. Cooling degree days totaled 10, which is 3 above normal. The cooling season total stands at 815, which is 138 above normal.
Precipitation
Total precipitation was 2.18 inches, 3.31 inches below normal. Measurable precipitation fell on six days, and only three days produced 0.10 inch or more. The largest storm brought 1.63 inches on the 11th and 0.11 inches on the 12th, for a 24-hour total of 1.74 inches. There were no thunderstorm days, and no snow fell in October.
Through the morning of Nov. 1, the 2026 precipitation total stood at 39.70 inches, 4.61 inches below normal for the year to date, even with September’s record-setting nor’easter.
Humidity
October mean water vapor pressure, which is an absolute measure of water vapor in the air, was 10.1 mb, which corresponded to a mean dew point of about 45F and a mean relative humidity of about 71 percent. This value equaled the long-term mean water vapor pressure for October.
Wind, Pressure and Sunshine
The peak gust was 44 mph from the northwest on Oct. 30. Earlier gusts reached 43 mph from the west-northwest on the 5th and 40 mph on the 9th. Wind averaged 10.3 mph and the prevailing direction was from the west-northwest.
Sea-level pressure peaked at 30.61 inches on Oct. 18, the same day as the month’s coldest reading, and bottomed out at 29.63 inches on Oct. 16. The Observatory recorded 72% of the possible bright sunshine, which was 17% more than the long-term average for the month.
Rankings
BHO Highest October Bright Sunshine, hours (1886-2026):
1) 251.5 in 1963 [76%]
2) 238.7 in 1924 [72%]
3) 237.2 in 2024 [72%]
4) 237.1 in 2026 [72%]
5) 231.3 in 1956 [70%]
6) 229.5 in 1974 [69%]
7) 228.7 in 1935 [69%]
8) 226.4 in 1901 [69%]
Keep the record unbroken
Every reading on this page was written down on the summit of Great Blue Hill. Give now for GivingTuesday and keep the longest continuous weather record in the Western Hemisphere going.
Data provided by the Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center, Milton, Massachusetts. Continuous weather observations since 1885.
