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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Barcelona in October

Barcelona in October: 32% of days see measurable rain, 72°F average high, 27% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Barcelona in October is historically a poor month for sun: only 27% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 72°F). July is the clearest month for Barcelona historically. 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 Barcelona 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 Barcelona 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		 34% n=120 72°F
Late October
16th–end		 21% n=128 72°F
Full month average 27% n=248 72°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 Barcelona 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		 62% n=120
Late October
16th–end		 35% n=128
Full month average 48% n=248
10.1 h median sunshine per day 76% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 32% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 27%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 48%. The 21-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

Barcelona is mostly overcast in October historically: only 27% of days are clear across 8 years (n=248), avg high 72°F. If you want sun in Barcelona, July is historically much better. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

→ See all destinations in July — historically the best month for sun in Barcelona.

Every month in Barcelona

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

Historical clear-sky % for Barcelona, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 0% n=226 All destinations →
March 3% n=248 All destinations →
April 4% n=240 All destinations →
May 25% n=248 All destinations →
June 61% n=240 All destinations →
July 64% n=248 All destinations →
August 53% n=248 All destinations →
September 38% n=240 All destinations →
October ← this page 27% n=248 All destinations →
November 4% n=240 All destinations →
December 0% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Barcelona in October?

Sometimes. Barcelona sees measurable rain on 32% of days in October historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Barcelona good for sun in October?

Not usually. Barcelona is historically overcast in October: only 27% of days are clear (avg high 72°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025). July is historically far better for sun here.

How Barcelona compares in October

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Barcelona 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.