Twin Cities sees 3rd warmest October on record in 2026

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Published November 2, 2026 9:15 AM CST

Record warm Octobers in the Twin Cities.  (FOX 9)

The Brief

    • October 2026 tied for the third-warmest October on record in the Twin Cities.
    • The average temperature in October was 57.8 degrees.
    • The Twin Cities hit 90 degrees two days in a row for the first time ever in October, and did not have an official freeze during the month.

(FOX 9) - October ended up tied for the third-warmest on record in the Twin Cities, with records dating back to 1872.

2026 was 3rd warmest October on record

By the numbers:

October 2026 tied with October 1900 for the third-warmest October, with an average temperature of 57.8 degrees for the month. The warmest October on record was in 1947, with an average temperature of 59.2 degrees.

Big picture view:

The Twin Cities metro hit 90 degrees two days in a row in October, the first time that has happened during the month.

It is also worth noting the Twin Cities did not have an official freeze during October, one of only a handful of years that have made it to November without one.

Warm Octobers still unusual 

Graphic of October 2026 temperatures in the Twin Cities metro.  (National Weather Service / Supplied)

Dig deeper:

If this October did not feel that warm to you, there's likely a good reason for that. Looking at the list of the warmest Octobers on record, 2024 is in sixth place, with 2021 also on the list in 11th place. So, if you have lived in Minnesota for the past few years, you may have become more accustomed to a much warmer October, even though it is still unusual.

READ MORE: How unusual are warm October days in the Twin Cities?

The Source: Information in this story comes from FOX 9 meteorologists. 

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