Boulder weather in November
November in Boulder: cool, dry, with clean air — a great time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#9 of 12 months in Boulder · #697 of 1413 destinations to visit in November · comfort 73/100 (tier B)
- Days
- 14°C
- Nights
- -1°C
- Wet days
- 4
- Sun
- 8.3 h
- Humidity
- 60%
- Daylight
- 10 h

Traveller notes on Boulder in November
Notes from nearby Rocky Mountain National Park (51 km away)
Boulder doesn't have its own notes for November yet — these are about Rocky Mountain National Park, close enough to share the season.
Rocky Mountain-forum threads on an early November visit describe Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road as both closed for the season, posters calling Moraine Park the only campground still running this late. Regulars recommend a warm coat, hat, gloves and waterproof boots regardless of how the day starts, real layers necessary given how fast conditions shift at elevation. Posters describe the higher trails as already carrying some accumulation, traction devices like microspikes rentable in Estes Park though not yet enough for snowshoes. Regulars call the lower valley trails still genuinely accessible and rewarding this time of year, considerably quieter than the summer crowds. Posters recommend checking current trail and road status before committing to a route. Regulars call the park a genuinely different, starker kind of beautiful once the leaves and crowds are gone. The record: 2.2C days feeling like -3C, -5.7C nights, 63mm across nearly 11 days and 65 percent humidity.
Other months in Boulder
Forum posters describe March as Boulder's snowiest month on average, yet genuinely fickle - a 70F sunny day can be followed by two feet of snow the next. Posters are consistent that early March still sees bars, breweries, restaurants and music venues running in full swing regardless of weather. Posters recommend traction devices for hiking boots given the mix of clear and icy trail conditions, noting that Boulder's foothill trails typically stay open if there hasn't been a recent storm, while higher mountain trails often remain snowbound well into the month. Posters are direct that a storm disrupting travel plans is a real possibility that's impossible to predict far in advance, making a last-minute forecast check worthwhile. Posters generally rate March as genuinely unpredictable but workable for a Boulder visit, hiking gear and flexible plans the key preparation.
Forum posters describe September as sunny, mild and generally beautiful, typically 70sF by day and 50sF at night in the Boulder/Denver area - though they're candid it can occasionally swing from warm and sunny to unexpectedly cold with snow. Early September (before Labor Day and before fall color/elk rut kicks in around September 21) gets flagged as a genuine lull in visitation, with quieter trails and close-to-ideal hiking temperatures with a lower chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Visiting closer to late September trades that quiet for peak fall color and the elk rut in nearby Rocky Mountain National Park - one of the most popular windows of the year there.
Add your own note from Boulder's card on the map.
Boulder climate normals — November
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Boulder in November
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsThanksgiving, Thanksgiving break in United States(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Boulder's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherBoulder's best weather comes in June, August and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Boulder in November
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Hazard
Chinook windstorms
1 Nov – 31 Mar · usuallyWind seasonAir spilling off the Divide accelerates down the canyons and hits the west side of town at motorway speeds several times a winter, taking out power and lorries on the Foothills Parkway. It is also why the snow never lies here for long. Source ↗
- Holiday
Thanksgiving
25–29 NovNational holidayCrowdedClosuresThanksgiving, the fourth Thursday of November, is the country's biggest travel holiday: airports and highways are at their busiest on the Wednesday before and the Sunday after, and on the day itself offices, banks and many shops close. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Boulder — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Boulder?
Boulder in November — FAQ
- Is November a good time to visit Boulder?
- November in Boulder: cool, dry, with clean air — a great time to visit. It ranks #9 of 12 months for Boulder on SeasonMap's comfort score (73/100).
- What is the weather like in Boulder in November?
- In November, Boulder averages a daily high of 14.4°C and a low of -0.8°C, with about 23.9 mm of rain over roughly 3.5 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Boulder in November?
- Boulder has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 35 in November.
- Does it snow in Boulder in November?
- Boulder sees roughly 21.6 cm of snowfall in November.
Within 300 km: Denver's Red Rocks concert season around 1 Apr – 5 Nov, and Vail's Ski season around 13 Nov – 18 Apr.