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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Birmingham in October

Birmingham in October: 24% of days see measurable rain, 75°F average high, 44% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Birmingham in October is a mixed month for sun: 44% 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 Birmingham 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 Birmingham 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		 53% n=120 75°F
Late October
16th–end		 36% n=128 75°F
Full month average 44% 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 Birmingham 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		 86% n=120
Late October
16th–end		 47% n=128
Full month average 66% n=248
10.8 h median sunshine per day 78% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 24% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 44%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 66%. The 22-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

Birmingham in October is genuinely mixed: 44% of days historically clear (n=248), avg high 75°F — more cloudy than clear. The outcome varies year to year; don't book if you need guaranteed sun.

Every month in Birmingham

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

Historical clear-sky % for Birmingham, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 1% n=226 All destinations →
March 9% n=248 All destinations →
April 27% n=240 All destinations →
May 36% n=248 All destinations →
June 30% n=240 All destinations →
July 17% n=248 All destinations →
August 28% n=248 All destinations →
September 49% n=240 All destinations →
October ← this page 44% n=248 All destinations →
November 14% n=240 All destinations →
December 1% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Birmingham in October?

Sometimes. Birmingham sees measurable rain on 24% of days in October historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Birmingham good for sun in October?

It's mixed. Birmingham in October is clear on 44% of days historically (avg high 75°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — the outcome varies year to year.

How Birmingham compares in October

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