Is it finally time to turn off the AC in St. Louis?

ST. LOUIS - So we’re finally starting to feel a chill in the air when we step outside in the morning, but does this mean that it’s finally time to turn off the AC for the year in the St. Louis area? We asked FOX 2 Meteorologist Haley Fitzpatrick, and she gave us her advice from a meteorologic perspective. 

According to Fitzpatrick, there is no specific date to turn off the AC, as it depends on several things like consistent cooler daytime highs, cool nighttime lows, and lower humidity.

"Once daily highs are regularly in the 60s rather than 70s or higher, you may not need cooling as much," Fitzpatrick said. 

She explains that when overnight lows consistently drop into the 40s or low 50s, indoor temperatures tend to drift down naturally, reducing the need for air conditioning.

Humidity also plays a role, as lower humidity lessens the “stickiness” you feel, making it easier to maintain comfort with fans and open windows.

She suggests that if your thermostat rarely calls for cooling because indoor temperatures are already in your comfort range without AC, it might be time to turn it off.

Fitzpatrick notes that weather forecast patterns should be monitored, as unseasonably warm stretches could delay the need to turn off the AC.

Typically, by mid to late October, daily highs drop into the 60s, and cooler air is here to stay around Halloween, which is when the first freeze usually occurs.

For those in St. Louis, late October (somewhere around the 20s) is a reasonable time to consider turning off the AC, assuming no unexpected warm spells occur.