October has been a month that begins the larger swings in temperature and rainfall that emerges as Fall and Winter weather patterns arrive. In the past sometimes Fall Patterns showed up as early as September, like in 1968, 1974, 1990, and 1995. In Year 2000 Fall Patterns showed up in late September, after the record breaking hot temperatures September 1 to 5, 2000, that was followed by record cool days October 7 to 9, 2000.  See more information on early October 2000 unseasonably cool period.    The earliest freezes of climate record have arrived in late October, while some days have warmed up to near 100 during unseasonably warm periods. Although some Octobers have been very dry, others also very wet with floods, as has been seen in the last 10 to 15 years. 

During the flood and heavy rain event of October 1998, the heavy rains fell east of Del Rio. In the past 45 years, October rains were rather extreme in 1960, 1969, 1981, 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2004. In October 1960, heavy rains affected parts of South Central Texas, including the Austin Area.  The wettest October of Record at Austin Bergstrom was in October 1960, when 13.08 inches of rain was observed. In October 1969, Del Rio had its 2nd wettest October of Record when 11.33 inches of rain was observed.   In October 1981, first the remnants of Hurricane Norma from the Pacific moved over the region aloft and caused a heavy rain event. Late in October 1981, a slow moving cool front and nearly stalled upper-level trough created another heavy rain event, with plenty of high level moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Otis to the southwest over Western Mexico. In October 1994, a heavy rain event with thunderstorms moved through the Austin and San Antonio Areas on Friday Night October 7th, and in the early morning of Saturday October 8, 1994. Another rain event affected the area about a week later from the remnants of Hurricane Rosa that moved over the area aloft and another heavy rain event formed, in association with a slow moving upper-level trough from the west. The heaviest rains in this event fell over the eastern part of South Central Texas, with even heavier rains over Southeast Texas. After plentiful rains in September 1998, from the effects of Tropical Storm Frances, extreme floods in October 1998 came.  This was the wettest October and Month of Record at San Antonio with 18.07 inches; the 2nd wettest October of Record at Austin Bergstrom with 12.73 inches . and 3rd wettest October of Record at Austin Mabry, with 12.39 inches. See more information on October 1998 Rains.  The wettest Octobers of Record at Austin Mabry was October of 1925, when 12.63 inches of rain fell: for Austin Bergstrom 13.08 inches in October 1960; and for Del Rio October 1930, when 11.69 inches of rain fell.   

In late October of 1993, the earliest date of observed snowfall was observed at Del Rio and San Antonio on October 30th, 1993, when Del Rio had 1.2 inches of snow and San Antonio a Trace.  Freezing temperatures were also observed with this cold outbreak. On October 31, 1993 San Antonio observed a low of 27: Del Rio 28; and Austin 30. Another cold outbreak came in 1917, where Austin observed a low of 30 on October 30; San Antonio had 32 and Del Rio 32. The earliest Freeze of Record for the Austin City Climate location, now Austin Mabry, came October 26, 1924, when the low was 31.  The earliest freeze of record for Austin Bergstrom International Airport came October 25, 2005, when the low was 32. The earliest Freeze for Del Rio came October 27, 1913 when the low was 32.  The earliest Freeze for San Antonio was during the late October 1917 cold outbreak when the low was 32 on October 30th. 

In October 1991 very warm weather came to the area, in a pattern similar to late September 2005.  Highs October 12, 1991 reached 98 at Austin Mabry; 97 at Austin Bergstrom; and 99 at San Antonio.  A warm day October 3, 1979 saw afternoon highs tie the maximums observed in the summer of 1979.  Del Rio had a high of 106 October 3, 1979, a record monthly high for October.  On October 3, 1979 San Antonio had a high of 98 and Austin had a high of 97.  On October 2, 1938 the high in Austin was 100, the warmest day of 1938 in Austin and only 100 degree day for that year.  Austin had another 100 degree day in October in 1923, also on the 2nd.