I made this video 8 years ago and it is still current on wintering a hive in the upper Midwest using a cardboard cover. It is still too early to cover your hive. Beekeepers will be doing Oxalic Acid treatments around the third week of October. The winter covers could go on anytime after that, if the weather is cool. If the temperatures warm up in late October, we may be waiting a little longer to cover the hives. The weather person tonight said 60's in about a week. But, we can never depend on a long range forecast and should not take that outlook as gospel.
Right now, the bees should be checked for food stores. Feed if necessary. As it gets colder, the bees will not take syrup very well. A warm late October would help get the feed into the hives.
Entrance reducers or mouse guards should be on the hives right now.
This is a video on how to use a Bee Cozy Winter cover