Seoul in November (2026): Weather, What to Wear, Suneung Day and Late-Autumn Plans

November is the month when Seoul stops feeling like autumn and starts feeling like winter. The leaves fade, the mornings turn properly cold, and the first snow becomes a real possibility by the end of the month. Reddit travelers asking about mid-November weather, what to wear for a morning run, and whether early or late November is better are really asking the same question: how cold is it, and what should I plan around?

This guide uses Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) climate averages, the national exam schedule and Seoul’s own event pages. Averages describe a typical year, not the week you will be there, so check the forecast before you pack.

The numbers: Seoul in November

These are Seoul’s 1991 to 2020 normals as compiled in the Climate of Seoul reference from KMA data.

Month (Seoul)	Average high	Average low	Daily mean	Precipitation
October	20.2°C	10.6°C	15.0°C	52 mm
November	11.9°C	3.5°C	7.5°C	51 mm
December	4.2°C	-3.4°C	0.2°C	23 mm

Other November averages from the same table: about 6.4 days with at least 1 mm of precipitation, about 2.3 snowy days, and relative humidity near 60%. The average gap between October and November highs is about 8°C, which is why a light jacket that worked in October can feel wrong within a few weeks.

Averages hide spread. Individual days can be several degrees colder or warmer, and early November can feel quite different from the last week. Plan for the average night near 3°C and the possibility of a day that stays close to 8°C.

Early, mid or late November?

• Early November (about 1 to 10): the closest to autumn. Our foliage guide puts the Seoul and central-region peak around the last week of October, so early November is closer to the end of the color than the peak. It is still comfortable for walking if you layer.
• Mid November (about 11 to 20): bare branches and sharper mornings. It suits palaces and mixed indoor and outdoor days. See our palaces at night guide.
• Late November (about 21 to 30): the coldest part of the month and the first-snow window. KMA’s normal first-snow date for Seoul is 20 November, but individual years differ a lot. A compilation of KMA records shows first snow arriving as early as 10 November in 2021 and as late as 10 December in 2020, and 4 December in 2025. Treat snow as a possibility, not a promise.

KMA’s three-month outlook issued in September 2026, as summarized by a Korea travel publisher, favored a warmer-than-normal November. Outlooks change and do not predict a specific week, so use them only as a rough hint.

What to wear

These are packing suggestions based on the averages above, not official guidance.

When	Typical conditions	What works
Daytime, early to mid month	Around 12°C, sun and shade swings	Long-sleeve top, sweater or fleece, light to medium jacket
Mornings and evenings	Around 3 to 4°C	Add a wool coat or light down jacket, scarf
Late month, windy days	Feels colder than the number	Windproof outer layer, gloves, warm socks, thermal base layer
Rain days	About 6 days a month	Compact umbrella and shoes with grip (wet leaves are slippery)

Coming from a tropical country? Dress for the coldest hour of your day, not the afternoon. Wind and humidity near 60% can make 4°C feel colder than your home weather app suggests. Bring thermal layers rather than one heavy coat, because heated trains, cafes and shops are warm.

Running in the morning? An average low near 3.5°C is cold for easy runs. Gloves, a thin hat, long tights or pants and a windproof shell are sensible, and you can remove layers as you warm up. Daylight is limited, so plan your route in advance.

If a very cold day catches you out, a hot jjimjilbang visit or an indoor plan from our rainy-day guide is an easy fallback.

Mark 19 November: Suneung day

Korea’s national college entrance exam, the College Scholastic Ability Test (Suneung), is scheduled for Thursday 19 November 2026, according to the testing agency’s plan reported in Korean media. The English listening section is why travelers hear about it.

Based on reports from earlier years, you should expect:

• Flights: takeoffs and landings are restricted nationwide for about 35 minutes during the English listening test. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport set the window at 13:05 to 13:40 in recent years, and the exact 2026 window is announced shortly before the exam.
• Mornings: public offices and many large employers start later, and extra subway trains run for students in the early morning.
• Near schools: noise is reduced, and traffic around test sites can be slow.

Practical response: avoid booking a flight that lands or departs in the early afternoon on 19 November, avoid early airport transfers that pass through school areas, and check the official notices published about a week before. Our airport transfer guide and terminal guide can help you plan around delays.

Kimjang and the Seoul Kimchi Festival

Kimjang, the late-autumn tradition of making kimchi for winter, is recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, as noted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The city has held the Seoul Kimchi Festival since 2014. The 2017 edition ran from 3 to 5 November at Seoul Plaza, and the festival is part of the city’s cultural program. We could not confirm 2026 dates, so check the Seoul English site before you plan around it.

Ideas that suit November

• Palaces by day: comfortable for walking as long as you dress warmly. Our hanbok rental guide explains rental basics, and layers matter more than the outfit.
• Night views and markets: shorter days mean sunset comes early. See the Han River night guide and night markets guide.
• Warm food: a convenience-store ramen machine or a hot soup meal such as miyeok-guk is an easy way to warm up.
• Weather planning: if you are comparing seasons, our September and October packing guide covers the warmer side of autumn.

November FAQ

Is November a good time to visit Seoul? It is drier than summer (about 51 mm of rain, compared with several hundred in July and August), but it is cold, so choose it if you are comfortable dressing in winter layers.

Will it snow in November? Seoul’s normal first snow is 20 November, but recent years have ranged from early November to early December. Assume a small chance in the second half of the month.

How much does mid-November differ from early November? The average high drops through the month, and mornings near freezing become more likely late in the month, so pack for the colder end if you will be there in the last week.

Do I need an umbrella? A compact one is useful. Rain falls on roughly six days of the month on average.

Official sources to check

• Korea Meteorological Administration (English) for forecasts and warnings
• Seoul Metropolitan Government (English) for festival pages
• Korea Tourism Organization for travel notices