SeasonMapNantucket weather in October
United States
October in Nantucket: nice, rainy, with clean air — a good time to visit.
#6 of 12 months in Nantucket · #1070 of 1383 destinations to visit in October · comfort 63/100 (tier C)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Nantucket in October
Notes from nearby Boston (144 km away)
Nantucket doesn't have its own notes for October yet — these are about Boston, close enough to share the season.
Boston's own foliage runs late, and the forum is consistent about it: early October is too early in the city, peak colour lands at the very end of October into the first days of November, and by around 20 October much of the greater-Boston leaf can already be down if there has been an early freeze or a heavy storm. For colour earlier in the month regulars send you out of the city — west to the Berkshires, or north into New Hampshire and Vermont, all car trips. The weather meanwhile is mild for the latitude: highs near 17°C, cooling to about 10 at night.
Other months in Nantucket
Nantucket's forum rates July for warm, sunny days, with one recurring caveat worth knowing before booking a beach-heavy trip: the ocean itself stays genuinely chilly until August catches up, so swimming is more bracing than the air temperature would suggest. Regulars who want both warm water and warm air tend to point toward September instead.
Add your own note from Nantucket's card on the map.
Nantucket climate normals — October
| Daytime high | 18°C / 64°F | 😎 nice |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 11°C / 51°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 16°C / 61°F | |
| Sea temperature | 17°C / 62°F | 🧊 bracing |
| Rainfall | 130 mm / 5.1 in | 🌧 rainy |
| Rainy days | 8 days | |
| Humidity | 79% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 11°C / 51°F | |
| Sunshine | 7.7 h/day | |
| Daylight | 11.1 h | |
| Wind | 37 km/h / 23 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 43 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Nantucket in October
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Shoulder seasonan ordinary month(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Nantucket's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherNantucket's weather peaks June–August.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Nantucket in October
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Hazard
Tick season
1 Apr – 31 Oct · usuallyInsect seasonThe island's deer ticks carry Lyme, babesiosis and tularemia at rates among the highest anywhere, and the moors and bike-path verges are where they wait. Long trousers, and a check at the end of every day. Source ↗
- Season
The quiet weeks
8 Sep – 20 Oct · usuallySeptember and early October keep the warm water and lose the crowd, and the moors out towards Altar Rock turn red. Ferries thin out again after Columbus Day weekend.
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Nantucket — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Nantucket?
Nantucket in October — FAQ
- Is October a good time to visit Nantucket?
- October in Nantucket: nice, rainy, with clean air — a good time to visit. It ranks #6 of 12 months for Nantucket on SeasonMap's comfort score (63/100).
- What is the weather like in Nantucket in October?
- In October, Nantucket averages a daily high of 18°C and a low of 10.8°C, with about 129.8 mm of rain over roughly 8 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Nantucket in October?
- Nantucket has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 43 in October.
Other months in Nantucket
Compare Nantucket in October
Warmer or cooler than Nantucket in October
Similar destinations in North America — October
Within 300 km: Newport's Autumn on the Cliff Walk around 10 Oct – 10 Nov, and Boston's Whales on Stellwagen Bank around 15 Apr – 20 Oct.