---
title: October Tree Care in Northern Nevada: Calendar
url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-care-calendar/october/
business: Battle Born Tree Service
address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701
phone: 775.232.8243
hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service
credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured
type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood)
---

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- October

# Tree care in October in Northern Nevada

October is the last easy month to fix a tree before snow: leaves are dropping, the first flakes appear at the valley stations, and Glenbrook's precipitation more than triples from September.

The month's typical rain, snow and temperatures at five weather stations:

## October weather normals

| Station | Elevation (ft) | Precipitation (in) | Snowfall (in) | Mean temperature (F) | Average low (F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reno airport | 4,410 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 55.1 | 39.7 |
| Carson City | 4,761 | 0.55 | 0.0 | 52.2 | 36.3 |
| Minden | 4,709 | 0.61 | 0.2 | 51.1 | 30.9 |
| Glenbrook | 6,350 | 1.0 | not reported | 48.6 | 37.5 |
| Fallon | 3,965 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 51.9 | 34.0 |

Source: [NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals). Monthly normals for October at five stations. Glenbrook publishes no snowfall normal.

## October checklist

- Remove dead and hanging limbs before the first storm
- Clear fallen leaves and needles from Zone 0
- Keep watering until the soil freezes
- Drain hoses and shut off exterior spigots
- Stack firewood off the ground, away from the house
- Sign up for snow service before the first storm
- Check large trees near roofs and drives

The Reno airport's mean falls almost 12 degrees from September, to 55.1 F, with a low of 39.7 F. Glenbrook's October precipitation of 1.00 inch is 3.6 times its September 0.28. Weather turns on this month.

## October weather at five stations

Snow shows up on the books at Reno (0.1 inches) and Minden (0.2). Precipitation is 0.50 inches at the Reno airport, 0.55 at Carson City, 0.61 at Minden and 0.40 at Fallon. Lows fall to 36.3 F at Carson City and 30.9 F at Minden.

| Station (elevation, ft) | Mean temp (F) | Precip (in.) | Snow (in.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reno airport (4,410) | 55.1 | 0.50 | 0.1 |
| Carson City (4,761) | 52.2 | 0.55 | 0.0 |
| Minden (4,709) | 51.1 | 0.61 | 0.2 |
| Glenbrook (Tahoe) (6,350) | 48.6 | 1.00 | no normal |
| Fallon (3,965) | 51.9 | 0.40 | 0.0 |

Station normals, not town averages. NOAA flags Glenbrook's temperature normals as reduced completeness and publishes no snowfall normal there.

## What the trees are doing

Deciduous trees color and drop leaves, and conifers shed their oldest, innermost needles, which is normal. A crown that fades evenly with pitch tubes on the trunk is not normal. See [when a pine turns brown](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/when-a-pine-turns-brown/).

## Jobs that fit October

Three things the numbers point to (the [October tree care post](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/october-tree-care-carson-city-reno/) has the full checklist). First, Minden's average October low is 30.9 F, just under freezing so freezes are close: drain hoses. Second, heavy wet snow can bend limbs past recovery, so ask for dead wood and weak unions to be dealt with now. Third, snow service lists fill before the first storm. See [October tree care in Carson City and Reno](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/october-tree-care-carson-city-reno/) and [getting trees ready for Sierra snow load](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/sierra-snow-load-tree-prep/).

## Snow service and firewood

Our snow team plows, hauls, shovels and salts homes and businesses, and is available around the clock in snow season. Ongoing customers can ask about a custom flat rate. Ask whether your address is on the route. For firewood, call the office for availability and pricing, and stack it off the ground with the top covered.

## Valley versus lake

On the lake, October's precipitation is much higher than the valleys', and the snow season is close. Rules for removals and defensible space come from TRPA and the fire district. Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) for a free estimate. A certified arborist assesses every job before work begins, and messages are returned within 8 hours.

### Sources

- [NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly (Reno airport USW00023185, Carson City USC00261485, Minden USC00265191, Glenbrook USC00263205, Fallon Exp Stn USC00262780)](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals) (pulled October 17, 2026)
- [University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Should I Water my Trees in the Winter? (Jensen, 2026)](https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=8355) (read October 17, 2026)
- [University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Living With Fire (SP-23-07)](https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=5522) (read October 17, 2026)
- [University of Wisconsin Extension: Seasonal needle drop normal on evergreens (out-of-state source)](https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/seasonal-needle-drop-normal-on-evergreens/) (read October 17, 2026)
- [Tahoe Regional Planning Agency: Trees and Defensible Space](https://www.trpa.gov/trees-and-defensible-space/) (read October 1, 2026)

### Talk to the office

[775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243)

| Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered |

Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service.

[Free estimate](#quote)

### Keep reading

- [October tree care in Carson City and Reno](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/october-tree-care-carson-city-reno/)
- [Getting trees ready for Sierra snow load](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/sierra-snow-load-tree-prep/)
- [When a pine turns brown](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/when-a-pine-turns-brown/)
- [Snow and ice removal](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/snow-removal/)
- [How to season and stack firewood](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/how-to-season-and-stack-firewood/)
- [Northern Nevada tree care calendar](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-care-calendar/)

### Month by month

- [The full tree care calendar](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-care-calendar/)

[Previous month: Tree care in September in Northern Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-care-calendar/september/) [Next month: Tree care in November in Northern Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-care-calendar/november/)

## Questions people ask

Still have a question? Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243). Phones are answered seven days a week.

### When should I stop watering trees?

When the soil freezes. After that, University of Nevada, Reno Extension suggests about every 3 to 4 weeks on thawed, snow-free ground above 40 F.

### Why do pines turn brown in fall?

Shedding of the oldest inner needles is normal. Evenly fading crowns with pitch tubes on the trunk point to beetles.

### When should I call about snow removal?

Before the first storm. Ask whether your address is on the route.