While much of Canada falls into a deep freeze in November, Vancouver stays far more temperate. The city lies on the Pacific Coast, which moderates its temperature. Yet, you may be asking yourself whether visiting Vancouver in November is a good idea.
One particular worry: whether it will just rain the whole time. We’ve done a full analysis of Vancouver’s weather in November and looked at temperature, likelihood of rain, sunshine hours, and much more. If you’re deciding whether to travel to Vancouver, BC in November, consider this your ultimate guide!
What is Vancouver’s Weather Like in November?
Vancouver’s weather in November is considerably more gray than summer or even October. Sunshine hours drop by 50% from October, reaching just 60 hours for the entire month. For comparison, in September Vancouver sees an average of 212 hours of sunshine per month.
Of available sunshine hours, just 22% are sunny. Once again, this number pales in comparison to September when 56% of possible sunshine hours are sunny.
It’s worth noting that November, December, and January see almost exactly the same amount of average sunshine. If you’re hoping for a sunny day, there’s almost no difference to visiting Vancouver between November and the end of January.
How Rainy is Vancouver in November?
Vancouver sees an average of 189 mm (7.4 inches) of rain in November. Almost all of that precipitation is rainfall, but it’s worth noting the city averages a bit more than 3 cm (1 inch) of snow per month in November. The potential of snowfall is significantly higher in late November versus earlier in the month, but even if it does snow it will likely be a light amount.
There are an average of 20 rainy days in November, so roughly 2/3 of days will have some level of precipitation. In short, plan to pack a rain jacket if you’re outside!
If you’re looking for a Canadian destination that has a milder climate in November but less rainfall, you could consider Victoria. Located on an island that provides a partial rain shadow, Victoria’s rain station (located at Gonzales Heights) averages just 99 mm (3.9 inches) of rainfall in November, which is about half the rate of Vancouver.
In addition, Victoria sees an average of 83 sunshine hours in November, which is 38% higher than Vancouver.
How Hot Does Vancouver Get in November?
November’s average high in Vancouver is about 9.2 degrees Celsius (48.6 degrees Fahrenheit). That puts most afternoons in Vancouver comfortably above freezing. In addition, the average low is 5 degrees Celsius, meaning that night times don’t normally get too chilly if you’re heading out for a night on the town.
Those temperatures mean you likely won’t be wearing short sleeves in November (although Vancouver has seen temperatures up to 21 degrees Celsius in the month!), but they’re well above other western Canadian cities. Calgary’s average high in November is 3 degrees Celsius while Edmonton averages highs of just zero degrees Celsius.
Should You Visit Vancouver in November?
The bottom line is that Vancouver is very wet in November. In fact, the city sees more precipitation in November than any other month! If you’re deciding between a trip to Vancouver in either October or November, your chances of nicer weather are significantly higher in October. However, if you’re considering a holiday trip, there’s little difference to visiting Vancouver in November, December, or January.
If you’re waiting until Vancouver’s weather improves, the month of April has very similar weather to October. Its best weather is from June through September when rainfall is much lighter and highs often surpass 20 degrees Celsius.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©iStock.com/edb3_16.
