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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Boston in November

Boston in November: 28% of days see measurable rain, 51°F average high, 2% of days historically clear (n=240, ERA5 2018–2025).

Boston in November is historically a poor month for sun: only 2% of days clear across 8 years (n=240, avg high 51°F). August is the clearest month for Boston historically. Historical average, not a forecast.

What you are reading: 8-year historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis, not a forecast. A month that is historically 90% clear can still be overcast on your specific trip. For this week’s actual forecast, see the live Boston page. Both can be true at once: “historically strong in this month; this particular week is not.” We label which is which.

Early vs. Late November

Clear-sky percentage for Boston in November, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early November
1st–15th		 5% n=120 51°F
Late November
16th–end		 0% n=120 51°F
Full month average 2% n=240 51°F

Sunshine & warmth in November

A second measure using actual sunshine hours (ERA5 sunshine_duration), not the daily weather code. A Lowcountry day with 12 hours of sun and a 25-minute afternoon storm is counted below as a warm, sunny day — because it was. How we define this.

Sunshine-based metrics for Boston in November. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early November
1st–15th		 6% n=120
Late November
16th–end		 0% n=120
Full month average 3% n=240
9.0 h median sunshine per day 58% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 28% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 2%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 3%. The two measures are nearly identical here — no convective-storm bias for this climate and month.

Bottom line

Boston is historically almost never clear in November: only 2% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=240). Come back in August if you want clear skies here. Plan entirely around indoor or overcast-friendly activities.

→ See all destinations in August — historically the best month for sun in Boston.

Every month in Boston

Compare across all months with data. Numbers are historical clear-sky %.

Historical clear-sky % for Boston, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 0% n=226 All destinations →
March 0% n=248 All destinations →
April 2% n=240 All destinations →
May 17% n=248 All destinations →
June 33% n=240 All destinations →
July 37% n=248 All destinations →
August 41% n=248 All destinations →
September 31% n=240 All destinations →
October 12% n=248 All destinations →
November ← this page 2% n=240 All destinations →
December 0% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Boston in November?

Sometimes. Boston sees measurable rain on 28% of days in November historically (n=240 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Boston good for sun in November?

Not usually. Boston is historically overcast in November: only 2% of days are clear (avg high 51°F, n=240 days, ERA5 2018–2025). August is historically far better for sun here.

All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.