Is November a good time to visit San Diego?

November is one of the more underrated months to visit. The weather stays mild and dry, coastal highs sit around 70 degrees, and it is often the sunniest month of the year, with clear skies roughly 70 percent of the time. Crowds and hotel rates are near their annual low outside of Thanksgiving week, and the events calendar is strong, from San Diego Beer Week and the Bay Wine and Food Festival early in the month to the holiday tree lightings that start on Thanksgiving weekend. The two things to plan around are the early sunset, which drops to just before 5 p.m. once the clocks fall back on November 1, and the slim chance of the season's first real rain.

Is the ocean warm enough to swim in San Diego in November?

It is cool but still swimmable for the hardy. San Diego's ocean sits around 65 degrees at the start of November and eases toward about 62 by month's end. That is spring-suit-or-wetsuit territory for most people, and by late November a lot of locals only go in with a wetsuit. It is still fine for a quick dip on a warm afternoon, and it stays good for tide pooling and for snorkeling on the calmer, clearer days. Surfers are out in the water year round regardless, in full wetsuits by now.

What should I pack for San Diego in November?

Pack for mild days and genuinely cool, early-dark evenings. Days call for jeans or shorts, a t-shirt or light long sleeve, and comfortable shoes, with a swimsuit if you are here early in the month and want to brave the water. The layer is the part people get wrong: bring a real sweater or jacket for after dark, because nights fall into the low-to-mid 50s and the sun is down before 5 p.m. once the clocks change on November 1. Add a compact rain layer or umbrella in case the season's first shower shows up, sun protection for the still-decent midday UV, and warmer clothes if you are heading inland, to the mountains, or to the desert.

What time does it get dark in San Diego in November?

Early, and it changes overnight at the start of the month. Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026, so the clocks fall back an hour and sunset jumps from about 6 p.m. on October 31 to about 4:59 p.m. on November 1. From there it keeps sliding earlier, reaching roughly 4:44 p.m. by November 30, which is close to the earliest sunsets of the entire year. Mornings get lighter in exchange, with sunrise moving from about 6:05 a.m. in early November to 6:31 a.m. by the end of the month. Plan any sunset or outdoor activity for the late afternoon, not the early evening.

San Diego Weather in November: A Local's Guide

Q: How warm is San Diego in November?

At the coast, the average November high is about 70 degrees and the average low sits in the mid-50s, with a clear cooling trend through the month. Early November still feels like fall's warm side, with highs near 72 and lows around 59. By November 30 you are looking at highs closer to 67 and lows near 52. Inland runs a few degrees warmer by day and colder at night, with Escondido and El Cajon in the low-to-mid 70s early in the month, and the Anza-Borrego desert finally comfortable in the mid-70s. A late-season Santa Ana wind can still spike the coast into the 80s or beyond; November has pushed close to 100 degrees during past offshore-wind events.

Q: Does it rain in San Diego in November?

Sometimes, and November is when San Diego's wet season really begins. The month averages about 0.8 inch of rain across roughly three or four rainy days, up meaningfully from the near-zero totals of summer and early fall. That said, it is still one of the drier, sunnier months by most standards, and the odds of rain on any given day stay in the single digits early in the month and only tick toward the low teens by late November. You can still plan mostly outdoor days, but it is worth a glance at the forecast, because the first storm of the season does sometimes land in November.

San Diego weather in November is mild, dry, and often the sunniest stretch of the whole year, with warm-enough afternoons, cool nights, and a sunset that lands surprisingly early once the clocks fall back. We have lived here for 25 years, and November is a quiet favorite of ours. The summer and fall crowds are gone, hotel rates soften outside of Thanksgiving week, and the county settles into an easy, golden late-fall rhythm before the holidays really get going. Here is what to expect, broken down the way a local actually thinks about the month.

The short answer: November is mild and mostly sunny with a gentle cooling trend. Coastal highs average around 70 degrees and slide from about 72 early in the month to 67 by month’s end, with lows dropping from the high 50s to the low 50s. Rain picks up but stays light (about 0.8 inch across three or four days), because November is the leading edge of the wet season. The ocean cools from about 65 degrees to 62, so it is wetsuit weather for most. The biggest surprise is the light: daylight saving time ends November 1, so sunset jumps back to just before 5 p.m. overnight and creeps toward 4:44 p.m. by December. A late Santa Ana can still spike the coast into the 80s, but most of November is clear, calm, and comfortable.

How warm is San Diego in November?

At the coast, November is mild with a steady cooling trend. The average high is about 70 degrees and the average overnight low sits in the mid-50s, and both numbers drift down as the weeks go on. Early November still holds onto fall’s warm side, with highs around 72 and lows near 59. By November 30 you are looking at highs closer to 67 and lows near 52. It is layer weather done right: comfortable in a t-shirt at noon, glad you brought a jacket after dark.

The county spends a handful of days warmer than that, and almost all of them come courtesy of a Santa Ana wind. When one kicks in, the coast can leap into the 80s while the humidity crashes. It is the one part of a November forecast that can flip a plan, and it gets its own section below.

Is there still a Santa Ana risk in November?

Yes, and it is the month’s wild card. November is still firmly inside San Diego’s Santa Ana season, when hot, dry winds blow offshore from the desert instead of the usual cool sea breeze. When a Santa Ana lands, the temperature jumps, the air goes bone-dry, and even the immediate coast can push well into the 80s or higher. November has recorded highs close to 100 degrees during past offshore-wind events, which is a startling number for a month people picture as cool late fall. San Diego’s longest recorded Santa Ana event, in fact, ran for 14 straight days in November 1957.

Those same conditions, low humidity plus wind plus dry brush, keep fire risk on the table into November, though the odds ease as the first rains arrive. Most Novembers pass without incident, and a Santa Ana day is usually just a short, warm, gorgeous stretch at the beach. But it is worth watching a forecast for offshore-wind or red-flag warnings. If one lands during your visit, flip your plans toward the coast where it stays coolest, hydrate, and hold off on the inland and backcountry hikes that day.

Coast vs. inland vs. desert: the spread that catches people out

The most useful thing to understand about a San Diego November is that the county is not one climate. On the same afternoon, the coast can be a mild 70 while the desert floor is still comfortably in the mid-70s and the mountains are already cold at night. The temperature generally climbs the farther you get from the water, and a Santa Ana widens the gap even more.

Where you are	Early-Nov average high	Late-Nov average high	The reality
Immediate coast (beaches, La Jolla, Point Loma)	~72°F	~67°F	Mild, sunny, and among the clearest skies of the year
Inland valleys (Escondido, El Cajon, Santee)	low-to-mid 70s	high 60s	Warmer afternoons, noticeably colder nights
Mountains (Julian, Laguna, Palomar)	low 60s at midday	50s, freezing nights	Crisp fall air, apple-country crowds, the first chance of snow up high
Desert (Borrego Springs, Anza-Borrego)	high 70s	low 70s	Finally in its sweet spot, prime hiking and camping season

The practical takeaway is the same one we lean on all year: if you want more warmth, drive inland or to the desert, and if the valleys feel hot, drive toward the water. November is genuinely the desert’s best season. Anza-Borrego is unbearable in summer, but by November the highs settle into the 70s and the whole park opens up for hiking and camping.

Does it rain in San Diego in November?

This is the month it starts to matter. November is when San Diego’s wet season really begins, after a summer and early fall that are essentially bone-dry. The month averages about 0.8 inch of rain across roughly three or four rainy days, a real jump from October and a much bigger one from the near-zero totals of August and September. The heaviest rain months are still ahead in December through February, so November is the leading edge of the wet season rather than the soaking part of it.

What that means for a trip is simple: you can still plan mostly outdoor days without living inside a weather app, but it is worth a glance the night before, because the season’s first storm does occasionally arrive in November. And here is the part that surprises people: despite the uptick in rain, November is frequently San Diego’s sunniest month, with clear or mostly clear skies roughly 70 percent of the time. The marine layer that grays out early summer is long gone. For the full story on why that gray shows up in the first place, see our explainer on June Gloom and the San Diego marine layer. And if you are curious about the coldest, wildest end of local weather, our piece on whether it snows in San Diego covers the mountains that occasionally get a dusting this time of year.

How warm is the ocean in November?

Cool, but not off-limits. San Diego’s ocean temperature sits around 65 degrees at the start of November and eases toward 62 by the end of the month. That is spring-suit-or-wetsuit territory for most people, though you will still see plenty of quick dips on a warm afternoon early in the month, and the hardy locals who swim year round barely blink at it.

The water is still plenty usable if you dress for it. It stays good for tide pooling at low tide and, on the calmer, clearer days, for snorkeling La Jolla Cove, where the fall water often gives you a clean shot at the garibaldi and the leopard sharks before winter swells stir things up. One local heads-up that holds all year: a short upwelling event can drop the water a few degrees for a day or two with no warning, so a “62 degree” forecast can wade in closer to 58. By November most locals are in a full wetsuit for anything more than a toe-dip, and the surf crowd has been suited up for weeks.

Sunset and daylight in November: the clocks fall back

Here is the single biggest thing November does to your day, and the thing visitors forget every year. Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026, so the clocks fall back an hour and the evening light disappears fast. On October 31 the sun sets around 6:00 p.m. On November 1, it sets at about 4:59 p.m. That is nearly an hour of evening light gone literally overnight.

From there it keeps sliding. By November 30, sunset pulls back to about 4:44 p.m., which is close to the earliest sunsets of the entire year. You get some of it back in the morning, with sunrise moving from about 6:05 a.m. early in the month to 6:31 a.m. by the end, but the practical effect is that late afternoon is your golden window. Plan any sunset, beach walk, or outdoor plan for well before 5 p.m., not the early evening. For the month-by-month rundown and the best places to catch it, see what time the sun sets in San Diego and our local ranking of the best sunset spots in San Diego. The upside of all that early darkness: the long November nights are excellent for stargazing up in the mountains.

What to pack for San Diego in November

Pack for mild days and genuinely cool, early-dark evenings. The layer and the early sunset are the two things visitors underestimate.

Daytime: jeans or shorts, a t-shirt or a light long sleeve, and comfortable walking shoes, plus a swimsuit if you are here early in the month and plan to brave the water.
The evening layer: a real sweater, hoodie, or jacket for after dark, when nights fall into the low-to-mid 50s and the sun is down before 5 p.m. once the clocks change on November 1.
A light rain layer: a packable jacket or a small umbrella, just in case the season’s first shower shows up. You probably will not need it, but November is when it becomes possible.
Sun protection: the November UV index averages around 4, which is “moderate,” so sunscreen and sunglasses still earn their spot on a clear midday.
If you are going inland, to the mountains, or to the desert: pack warmer for cold nights, especially up in Julian and the backcountry, where it can drop below freezing after dark even when the coast is mild.

November events worth planning around

November has a fuller calendar than most people expect, sliding from food-and-drink season into the first weekend of the holidays. Exact dates shift year to year, so confirm before you build a day around one.

San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival. Usually the first weekend of November, out on the Embarcadero downtown, this is the city’s marquee food-and-wine event, with grand tastings, chef demos, and waterfront dinners.
San Diego Beer Week. A roughly ten-day, county-wide celebration in early-to-mid November, with special releases, tap takeovers, and events at breweries and tasting rooms all over town. In a beer town like this one, it is a great excuse to explore a neighborhood you have not tried.
Fleet Week San Diego. The military-appreciation events run from late October into mid-November along the bay, including ship tours on the downtown Embarcadero and the Coronado Speed Festival. It is one of the better free things to do on a clear November weekend.
The holidays kick off on Thanksgiving weekend. The season’s first big tree lightings land the weekend after Thanksgiving, including the towering Norfolk pine at Liberty Station in Point Loma and Santa’s arrival at Seaport Village on the downtown waterfront. Up in the mountains, Julian Country Christmas brings tree lighting and small-town holiday charm to apple country.
One clarification: Balboa Park’s December Nights, the giant free festival a lot of people associate with fall, is actually the first weekend of December, not November. If that is on your list, you are looking at an early-December trip, not a November one.

Is it still beach weather in San Diego in November?

Yes and no, and the honest answer is what makes November worth it. It is not swimsuit-and-all-day-in-the-water weather anymore, outside of a warm early-month afternoon or a Santa Ana spike. But it is absolutely beach weather in the way locals actually use the beach in the off-season: long walks, bonfires at the fire rings, tide pooling at low tide, watching the surf, and catching a sunset that now conveniently happens before dinner. The sand is emptier, the light is gorgeous, and you rarely fight for parking. Bring a jacket for after the sun drops and you will get some of the most pleasant beach days of the year, minus the summer crowds.

The trap to skip

The classic November mistake is forgetting the clocks changed and losing the afternoon. Visitors plan a “sunset dinner” for 7 p.m., or a late-afternoon hike at 4:30, and are stunned to find it pitch dark by the time they are out the door. Once daylight saving time ends on November 1, the sun is down before 5 p.m., so front-load your outdoor plans and treat late afternoon as the golden hour it now is.

The second trap is the opposite of an October worry: assuming November is cold and writing off the outdoors entirely. It is not cold here. Mild 70-degree days and reliable sunshine make November one of the best hiking, tide-pooling, and desert-camping months of the year. Dress in layers, plan around the early dark, and you get a nearly ideal month.

Planning the rest of your November trip

A good November day is easy to build because the weather almost always cooperates. On the rare rainy day, or when an early sunset has you looking for something indoors, a hotel with an indoor or heated pool is one of the most weather-proof places in the city. November is also worth comparing against the warmer months right before it, so see how it stacks up in our guides to San Diego weather in October and San Diego weather in September.

For booking a November stay while the rates are soft, browse the travel and lodging category in our San Diego business directory. And for the month’s beer-week stops, food festivals, and rainy-day backups, the entertainment and recreation category is a good place to start.