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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Algarve in October

Algarve in October: 25% of days see measurable rain, 75°F average high, 53% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Algarve in October is a mixed month for sun: 53% of days historically clear (n=248, avg high 75°F). The outcome varies year to year — check the early/late split below. Historical average, not a forecast.

What you are reading: 8-year historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis, not a forecast. A month that is historically 90% clear can still be overcast on your specific trip. For this week’s actual forecast, see the live Algarve page. Both can be true at once: “historically strong in this month; this particular week is not.” We label which is which.

Early vs. Late October

Clear-sky percentage for Algarve in October, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early October
1st–15th		 77% n=120 75°F
Late October
16th–end		 30% n=128 75°F
Full month average 53% n=248 75°F

Sunshine & warmth in October

A second measure using actual sunshine hours (ERA5 sunshine_duration), not the daily weather code. A Lowcountry day with 12 hours of sun and a 25-minute afternoon storm is counted below as a warm, sunny day — because it was. How we define this.

Sunshine-based metrics for Algarve in October. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early October
1st–15th		 87% n=120
Late October
16th–end		 44% n=128
Full month average 65% n=248
10.5 h median sunshine per day 83% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 25% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 53%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 65%. The 12-point gap is from brief afternoon convective storms that stamp the whole day as “rain” in the WMO code but leave the bulk of the sunshine untouched.

Bottom line

Algarve in October is genuinely mixed: 53% of days historically clear (n=248), avg high 75°F — roughly even odds. The two halves differ materially (77% early, 30% late) — favour the early half of the month. The outcome varies year to year; don't book if you need guaranteed sun.

Every month in Algarve

Compare across all months with data. Numbers are historical clear-sky %.

Historical clear-sky % for Algarve, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 1% n=226 All destinations →
March 5% n=248 All destinations →
April 20% n=240 All destinations →
May 57% n=248 All destinations →
June 76% n=240 All destinations →
July 98% n=248 All destinations →
August 98% n=248 All destinations →
September 80% n=240 All destinations →
October ← this page 53% n=248 All destinations →
November 4% n=240 All destinations →
December 0% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Algarve in October?

Sometimes. Algarve sees measurable rain on 25% of days in October historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Algarve good for sun in October?

It's mixed. Algarve in October is clear on 53% of days historically (avg high 75°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — the outcome varies year to year.

How Algarve compares in October

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Algarve this month — same passport tier, similar flight distance, both sides from the same 8-year ERA5 record.

All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.