October is one of the cooler months of the year in Palmerston North, with average highs near 15°C and lows around 7.6°C (mean 11.3°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 88 mm of rainfall and 85% relative humidity across the period.
October is one of the cooler months of the year in Palmerston North. Across 45 years of records, the warmest October in Palmerston North was 2001 — when the month averaged 13.1°C — while the coldest was 2009 at 9.4°C. Typical October days reach 15°C with nights near 7.6°C. The long-term October temperature trend is broadly flat.
October is about average for rainfall in Palmerston North, averaging 88 mm of rainfall. The wettest October on record was 1998 with 152 mm, while the driest was 1999 at 27 mm.
Relative humidity in Palmerston North during October averages 85%. The most humid October was 1995 at 88%, and the least humid was 1985 at 81%.
October receives about 4.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Palmerston North. The sunniest October was 1985 at 5.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2001 at 4.
Average wind speed in Palmerston North during October is 4.2 m/s. The windiest October was 1988 at 6.2 m/s, while the calmest was 2011 at 3.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 11.4°C | 11.3°C | 11.0°C | 11.2°C | 11.6°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg High | 15.1°C | 15.1°C | 14.7°C | 14.9°C | 15.3°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg Low | 7.7°C | 7.5°C | 7.2°C | 7.6°C | 8.0°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 87 mm | 83 mm | 96 mm | 83 mm | 90 mm | +3 mm |
October temperatures in Palmerston North have risen by about 0.7°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
October has ranged from a record low of -0.3°C (2007) to a record high of 22.7°C (2001).
Rainfall in October is about average for rainfall, averaging 88 mm, with a wettest year of 152 mm.
A good time to visit Palmerston North
October is a good time to visit Palmerston North, with days averaging 15°C and nights around 7.6°C (mean 11.3°C, cooler than Palmerston North's yearly average) and higher rainfall. February and January are marginally more temperate, but October still suits most travellers.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15.3°C | 12.0°C | 8.7°C | 18.9°C | 2.7°C | 122 mm | 87% | 5.7 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2024 | 15.6°C | 11.9°C | 8.2°C | 20.0°C | 2.2°C | 96 mm | 87% | 3.8 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2023 | 15.1°C | 11.2°C | 7.3°C | 20.3°C | -0.3°C | 80 mm | 86% | 4.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2022 | 14.3°C | 10.7°C | 7.0°C | 20.6°C | 0.6°C | 94 mm | 87% | 3.9 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2021 | 15.3°C | 12.0°C | 8.7°C | 20.9°C | 3.8°C | 76 mm | 87% | 3.6 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2020 | 16.0°C | 12.0°C | 8.0°C | 19.8°C | 1.7°C | 71 mm | 85% | 3.8 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2019 | 14.5°C | 10.8°C | 7.1°C | 18.5°C | 2.6°C | 106 mm | 86% | 4.5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2018 | 15.4°C | 11.4°C | 7.5°C | 20.8°C | 2.6°C | 67 mm | 86% | 3.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2017 | 15.1°C | 11.9°C | 8.6°C | 19.3°C | 3.6°C | 85 mm | 87% | 3.9 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2016 | 15.2°C | 11.5°C | 7.9°C | 17.9°C | 4.7°C | 96 mm | 87% | 4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2015 | 14.5°C | 11.0°C | 7.6°C | 17.3°C | 1.8°C | 77 mm | 87% | 4.9 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2014 | 15.3°C | 11.1°C | 6.9°C | 19.0°C | 3.4°C | 57 mm | 84% | 4.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2013 | 15.1°C | 11.7°C | 8.3°C | 17.2°C | 2.9°C | 109 mm | 86% | 5 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2012 | 14.4°C | 10.7°C | 7.1°C | 21.6°C | 2.2°C | 61 mm | 83% | 5.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2011 | 15.2°C | 11.5°C | 7.8°C | 18.9°C | 2.6°C | 114 mm | 87% | 3.1 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2010 | 14.3°C | 10.7°C | 7.0°C | 18.2°C | 4.6°C | 62 mm | 85% | 4.1 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2009 ❄️ | 12.8°C | 9.4°C | 5.9°C | 16.8°C | 1.5°C | 143 mm | 86% | 4.4 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2008 | 14.8°C | 11.3°C | 7.8°C | 17.9°C | 2.9°C | 95 mm | 86% | 4.3 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2007 | 14.2°C | 10.6°C | 7.1°C | 16.9°C | -0.3°C | 93 mm | 82% | 5.8 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2006 | 13.9°C | 10.5°C | 7.1°C | 17.5°C | 1.0°C | 135 mm | 86% | 4.9 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2005 | 15.3°C | 11.3°C | 7.4°C | 19.0°C | 3.4°C | 105 mm | 85% | 3.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2004 | 14.7°C | 11.0°C | 7.4°C | 19.6°C | 1.8°C | 83 mm | 86% | 4.2 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2003 | 15.0°C | 10.8°C | 6.7°C | 19.0°C | 1.5°C | 90 mm | 85% | 3.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2002 | 13.7°C | 9.9°C | 6.1°C | 17.2°C | 1.4°C | 54 mm | 82% | 4.7 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2001 🔥 | 16.9°C | 13.1°C | 9.3°C | 22.7°C | 3.4°C | 97 mm | 84% | 3.8 m/s | 4 |
| 2000 | 15.9°C | 11.6°C | 7.3°C | 22.3°C | 0.3°C | 64 mm | 82% | 4.6 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1999 | 17.0°C | 12.9°C | 8.8°C | 21.4°C | 3.0°C | 27 mm | 81% | 3.7 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1998 🌧️ | 15.5°C | 12.4°C | 9.2°C | 21.0°C | 4.4°C | 152 mm | 84% | 5.8 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1997 | 14.8°C | 11.2°C | 7.5°C | 21.3°C | 3.4°C | 87 mm | 86% | 4.4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1996 | 14.8°C | 11.1°C | 7.3°C | 18.3°C | 2.2°C | 91 mm | 86% | 4.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1995 | 14.8°C | 11.1°C | 7.4°C | 17.8°C | 3.0°C | 100 mm | 88% | 3.3 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1994 | 14.4°C | 10.3°C | 6.1°C | 19.1°C | 0.7°C | 84 mm | 85% | 3.5 m/s | 5 |
| 1993 | 15.7°C | 11.8°C | 7.9°C | 19.0°C | 3.9°C | 56 mm | 83% | 4.2 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1992 | 13.8°C | 10.1°C | 6.3°C | 17.6°C | 1.4°C | 99 mm | 87% | 3.4 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1991 | 14.2°C | 10.5°C | 6.7°C | 18.3°C | 2.6°C | 62 mm | 85% | 4.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1990 | 15.5°C | 11.7°C | 7.8°C | 19.8°C | 2.8°C | 75 mm | 86% | 3.6 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1989 | 16.4°C | 12.6°C | 8.9°C | 20.5°C | 3.7°C | 128 mm | 85% | 3.9 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1988 | 14.6°C | 11.7°C | 8.9°C | 18.4°C | 2.5°C | 114 mm | 87% | 6.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1987 | 15.8°C | 11.7°C | 7.6°C | 19.5°C | 1.7°C | 74 mm | 84% | 3.7 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1986 | 15.3°C | 11.9°C | 8.5°C | 19.2°C | 5.5°C | 83 mm | 87% | 3.5 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1985 | 15.7°C | 10.8°C | 6.0°C | 19.9°C | 2.2°C | 79 mm | 81% | 3.3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1984 | 14.8°C | 11.0°C | 7.3°C | 20.0°C | 2.8°C | 67 mm | 83% | 4.9 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1983 | 15.5°C | 11.9°C | 8.3°C | 22.1°C | 3.6°C | 87 mm | 87% | 3.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 13.3°C | 9.9°C | 6.4°C | 17.8°C | 2.9°C | 66 mm | 84% | 4.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 14.9°C | 11.0°C | 7.2°C | 18.4°C | 2.2°C | 81 mm | 86% | 4.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded October data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in October is around 15°C with lows near 7.6°C (mean 11.3°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
October averages 88 mm of rainfall in Palmerston North, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 152 mm in 1998.
The hottest October reached 22.7°C in 2001. The coldest dipped to -0.3°C in 2007.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average October temperatures have risen by about 0.7°C. Daytime highs moved from 14.8°C to 15.1°C and overnight lows from 7°C to 8°C over the same span.
October is one of the cooler months of the year in Palmerston North and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 15°C daytime highs and 7.6°C at night.
Not quite — October is the 6th coolest month in Palmerston North, averaging 11.3°C.
For October in Palmerston North, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 15°C and lows of 7.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in October averages 85% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in October is 4.2 m/s. The windiest October on record averaged 6.2 m/s (1988).
The wettest October on record was 1998 with 152 mm. On average, October sees 88 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Palmerston North behaves each October, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for October specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
