November is Singapore's wettest month. Full stop. With roughly 372mm of rainfall across 27 rainy days, you should expect to get soaked — the question is how many times. Daytime temperatures hover around 30°C (86°F) and nights settle near 24°C (75°F), which is actually the more tolerable end of Singapore's year-round heat. But 88% humidity means the air itself feels wet, the kind of thickness that fogs your glasses the second you leave an air-conditioned mall.
Here's the thing, though — Singapore's rain has a personality. Most mornings start overcast or even clear, with the serious downpours arriving mid-afternoon like clockwork. They're dramatic: sheets of water hammering the pavement, storm drains turning into rivers, everyone crowding under the nearest kopitiam awning with a kopi in hand. Then forty minutes later, the sun's out again. You learn to work around it. The real draw this month is Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, which turns Little India into a sensory overload — strings of lights running the length of Serangoon Road, the warm scent of ghee and cardamom from sweet shops, stalls selling gold-threaded saris and stacked boxes of murukku along Campbell Lane.
November also quietly opens the year-end festive corridor. By mid-month, Orchard Road's annual Christmas light-up switches on, hotels start displaying their log cake catalogues, and there's a general shift in energy — the city tilting toward celebration. It's a shoulder month for tourism, which works in your favour: hotel rates stay reasonable, queues at major attractions are shorter than December or July, and you can walk into most restaurants without a reservation.
Why visit in November
- Deepavali transforms Little India with weeks of lights, bazaars, and some of the best Indian food you'll eat outside of India — the festival atmosphere alone justifies a visit
- Shoulder-season pricing means hotel rates sit 15-25% below December and July peaks, with last-minute availability at properties that sell out during school holidays
- Orchard Road's Christmas light-up typically launches mid-November, giving you the festive spectacle without the December shopping crowds
- Morning weather is often surprisingly cooperative — clear skies before noon let you cover outdoor sights like the Botanic Gardens or Southern Ridges trail before the afternoon storms roll in
Worth knowing
- 372mm of rainfall makes this the single wettest month of the year, with rain on 27 of 30 days — outdoor plans need a backup, every time
- Humidity at 88% is relentless and feels heavier than even Singapore's usual dampness, leaving you perpetually clammy between air-conditioned spaces
- The northeast monsoon can bring multi-hour rain events that go well beyond the typical 40-minute afternoon burst, occasionally washing out entire afternoons and evenings
- Haze from regional agricultural burning can still linger into early November in some years, dropping visibility and making outdoor exercise uncomfortable
Best for
Think twice if
November sits at the peak of the northeast monsoon, making it Singapore's wettest month by a clear margin. The 372mm of rainfall is nearly triple February's 134mm. Days tend to start warm and overcast, building toward heavy afternoon or evening thunderstorms that can drop 30-50mm in a single hour. The rain is warm — you won't shiver — but it's intense enough to make umbrellas feel inadequate. Temperature-wise, it's marginally cooler than the April-May peak, with highs around 30°C (86°F) and lows near 24°C (75°F). The humidity rarely dips below 85%, and after a downpour it can feel like you're breathing through a warm towel. Nights offer mild relief — stepping outside at 10pm you might catch a breeze off the Strait that takes the edge off.
Seasonal caution
- The northeast monsoon brings the heaviest sustained rainfall of the year — individual storms can dump 50mm or more in under an hour, causing localised flash flooding in low-lying areas like Bukit Timah and parts of Orchard Road near the Stamford Canal
- Thunderstorm activity peaks in November, with frequent lightning — avoid exposed outdoor areas, rooftop bars, and open water during storms
- Transboundary haze from agricultural burning in Sumatra and Kalimantan can persist into early November, pushing PSI readings above 100 on bad days — check the NEA haze forecast before planning outdoor activities
Year-round climate
Averages from the last 5 years.
| Month | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | 23 | 348 |
| Feb | 30 | 23 | 134 |
| Mar | 31 | 24 | 272 |
| Apr | 31 | 24 | 287 |
| May | 31 | 25 | 285 |
| Jun | 30 | 25 | 306 |
| Jul | 30 | 25 | 211 |
| Aug | 30 | 24 | 321 |
| Sep | 30 | 24 | 240 |
| Oct | 31 | 24 | 273 |
| Nov | 30 | 24 | 372 |
| Dec | 30 | 23 | 310 |
Headline events
Deepavali (Festival of Lights)
Public holiday falls in late October to mid-November (date shifts annually with the Hindu calendar); the Little India light-up and bazaar typically run for three to four weeks surrounding the holiday
Singapore's celebration of the Hindu Festival of Lights centres on Little India, where Serangoon Road and its side streets are draped in elaborate light installations for weeks before the public holiday. The Deepavali bazaar along Campbell Lane and Hastings Road sells everything from freshly fried murukku to ornate oil lamps and silk saris. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple on Serangoon Road holds special prayers that draw enormous crowds. The atmosphere at night — warm light reflecting off wet streets after a rain, the low hum of Tamil film music from shopfronts, the sugar-and-spice smell of freshly made sweets — is genuinely unlike anything else in Singapore's calendar.
Best things to do in November
Walk the Deepavali light-up in Little India
culturalThe annual Deepavali light installation along Serangoon Road transforms the neighbourhood after dark. Thousands of LED lights form elaborate arched structures overhead, and the side streets — particularly Campbell Lane and Hastings Road — fill with temporary market stalls. The crowd energy is infectious, the food stalls are generous with samples, and the whole area smells like jasmine garlands and freshly ground spices. Go on foot — the streets close to traffic during peak evenings.
Deepavali falls in late October to mid-November; the light-up runs for several weeks but peaks around the public holiday itselfBooking tipNo booking needed — just show up after 7pm for the full effect. The bazaar stalls are cash-heavy, so bring small bills.
Indoor museum day at National Gallery Singapore
cultureThe former Supreme Court and City Hall buildings house Southeast Asia's largest public collection of modern art. The architecture alone — colonial grandeur with a modern glass-and-steel canopy linking the two buildings — rewards a slow wander. The air-conditioned galleries are a genuine relief on humid days, and November's lower tourist volume means you can linger in front of pieces without a crowd at your shoulder.
Heavy afternoon rain makes this the ideal month for long, unhurried indoor visits — the gallery's covered walkways connect to Esplanade and Marina Bay without going outsideBooking tipBuy tickets online to skip the queue; free admission to the permanent collection for Singapore residents.
Explore the Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay
natureThe Cloud Forest dome contains a 35-metre indoor waterfall surrounded by tropical montane plants, orchids, and pitcher plants. The cooled interior sits around 23°C — a startling contrast to the heat outside. The mist that drifts through the upper walkways, the sound of water cascading off the mountain structure, the cool damp air on your skin — it's weirdly meditative. During a monsoon downpour, watching the storm rage through the glass walls while standing in cool mist is an experience specific to this time of year.
The dramatic contrast between monsoon rain outside and the cool, controlled climate inside makes the experience more striking than during dry months — plus shorter queues than the June-August peakBooking tipBook the 9am opening slot for the thinnest crowds; combo tickets with the Flower Dome save about 20%.
Hawker centre trail through Chinatown and Tiong Bahru
foodRain drives everyone indoors, which means hawker centres are at their liveliest in November — full of locals on lunch breaks, retirees over kopi, families sharing claypot rice. Start at Maxwell Food Centre for chicken rice and char kway teow, walk through Chinatown's covered five-foot ways to Smith Street, then continue to Tiong Bahru Market for chwee kueh and putu piring. The route is largely sheltered.
Monsoon weather makes covered hawker centres the natural gathering point — the atmosphere is more convivial than in drier months when crowds disperse to parks and outdoor cafesBooking tipArrive before 11:30am for lunch — popular stalls sell out by 1pm, especially on weekends.
Catch the Orchard Road Christmas light-up launch
culturalSingapore's longest-running annual light-up typically switches on in mid-November, draping the 2.2km Orchard Road shopping belt in themed LED installations. The first weekend after launch tends to draw the biggest crowds, but weeknight visits are considerably calmer. The light-up runs until early January, but seeing it fresh — before the December shopping frenzy — has a quieter, more contemplative quality.
The light-up launches in mid-November, making this the first and least crowded window to see it before the December peakBooking tipNo booking needed. Walk from ION Orchard toward Tanglin for the full stretch; the section near Ngee Ann City tends to have the most elaborate installations.
Rain-proof shopping and eating in Kampong Glam
cultureThe Arab Quarter around Haji Lane and Bussorah Street has enough covered walkways, narrow shophouse-lined alleys, and cafe-hopping potential to fill a rainy afternoon. The textile shops along Arab Street sell batik and silk by the metre, Haji Lane's independent boutiques stock local designers, and the whole area smells like Turkish coffee and oud from the perfume shops. Sultan Mosque anchors the neighbourhood visually — its gold dome catching whatever light breaks through the clouds.
The narrow streets and covered five-foot ways make this one of the most rain-resilient neighbourhoods to explore on foot during the monsoonBooking tipMost shops open after 11am; some Haji Lane boutiques don't open until noon. Cafes fill up fast on weekend afternoons.
Night walk at Singapore Botanic Gardens after a storm
natureThe Botanic Gardens — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — takes on a different character after a late-afternoon downpour. The air cools noticeably, steam rises off the paths, and the smell of wet earth and frangipani is strong enough to taste. The Rainforest section, already dense and atmospheric, becomes genuinely primeval in the post-rain twilight. Stick to the paved paths — the boardwalks get slippery.
Post-monsoon evenings offer cooler temperatures and that distinctive petrichor-and-tropical-flower scent that's strongest when the ground is freshly soakedBooking tipFree entry to the main gardens; the National Orchid Garden charges a small fee and closes at 7pm. Bring a torch for paths without lighting.
Afternoon tea with a monsoon view at Marina Bay
food and drinkSeveral of the hotels and restaurants along the Marina Bay waterfront position you right at the glass, looking out over the water. When a monsoon storm rolls in from the south — dark clouds stacking over the Strait, lightning reflecting off the ArtScience Museum's lotus petals, rain stippling the bay surface — it's oddly theatrical. The contrast between a dry, air-conditioned seat with a pot of tea and the chaos outside is part of the appeal.
November's frequent afternoon storms create dramatic skyline views that are genuinely more striking than clear-weather days — the light shifts are remarkableBooking tipWeekend afternoon tea at waterfront venues books up; reserve 2-3 days ahead. Weekday walk-ins are usually fine.
What to eat in November
On menus now
Claypot rice
The monsoon rains make Singapore's already-popular claypot rice feel essential rather than optional. The best versions — dark soy-glazed rice with a crackling burnt crust, lap cheong, and salted fish — come from the stalls along Chinatown's Smith Street, where the clay pots have been seasoned by decades of use. Comfort food for a rainy evening.
Bak kut teh
Peppery, garlicky pork rib soup that locals gravitate toward during the wetter months. The broth hits differently when you've just sprinted through a downpour — warming from the inside, with that slow white-pepper heat building in your chest. The Hokkien-style versions tend to be darker and more herbal; the Teochew style is clearer and more peppery.
Log cakes and festive pastries
By mid-November, bakeries and hotel patisseries across Singapore start unveiling their Christmas log cake collections. These aren't just chocolate rolls — local interpretations fold in pandan, gula melaka, and yuzu. The hotel lobby displays at places along Orchard Road become minor spectacles. Pre-ordering opens early and popular flavours sell out before December.
Steamboat
Communal hot pot — called steamboat locally — peaks in popularity during the rainy season. Groups crowd around bubbling pots of soup stock, dipping thinly sliced meats, seafood, and leafy greens. The condensation on windows, the clatter of chopsticks, the rich broth smell filling enclosed hawker stalls — it's a full sensory experience that pairs perfectly with the monsoon mood.
Festival food
Murukku and Deepavali sweets
Little India's sweet shops and temporary bazaar stalls go into overdrive for Deepavali, turning out fresh murukku (crunchy spiced rice-flour spirals), laddu, gulab jamun, and jewel-coloured kueh. The freshly fried murukku at Tekka Centre — still warm, shatteringly crisp, with that hit of cumin and chilli — is worth a trip across town.
Regular events in November
Singapore Writers FestivalFree
Southeast Asia's longest-running literary festival brings local and international authors together for readings, panel discussions, and workshops across multiple venues. The programme typically spans about ten days in early-to-mid November, with events in English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil reflecting Singapore's multilingual identity. Venues have included the Arts House at Old Parliament and the National Library.
Early to mid-November (typically first two weeks)Orchard Road Christmas Light-Up launchFree
The annual switch-on of the Orchard Road Christmas lights marks the unofficial start of Singapore's festive season. The 2.2km stretch from Tanglin Mall to Plaza Singapura is decorated with themed LED installations, and the launch weekend usually features street performances and extended mall hours. The light-up runs through early January.
Mid-November (launch weekend); runs through early JanuaryAffordable Art Fair Singapore
An annual contemporary art fair held at the F1 Pit Building near Marina Bay, featuring galleries from across Asia and beyond. Works are priced to encourage first-time buyers, with pieces starting from a few hundred dollars. The fair typically runs over a long weekend in November.
Mid to late November (varies; typically a long weekend)Deepavali bazaar and cultural performancesFree
Beyond the light-up, Little India hosts a full programme of cultural performances — traditional dance, live music, rangoli competitions — in the open areas along Serangoon Road and at the Indian Heritage Centre. The bazaar stalls along Campbell Lane sell everything from festival sweets to brass oil lamps. Most performances are free and open-air, which means they're weather-dependent.
Two to three weeks before and after Deepavali (late October through mid-November)Best places this November
Little India (Serangoon Road and surrounds)
neighborhoodThe Deepavali light-up makes Little India the most atmospheric neighbourhood in Singapore during November. Walk Serangoon Road after dark for the overhead light arches, duck into Tekka Centre for a thosai breakfast, browse the flower garland sellers on Buffalo Road. The whole area smells like turmeric and jasmine. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple on Serangoon Road is worth stepping inside even if you're not religious — the gopuram (entrance tower) covered in painted Hindu deities is extraordinary up close.
Little IndiaNational Gallery Singapore
museumHoused in the former Supreme Court and City Hall, the gallery's permanent collection covers two centuries of Southeast Asian art. The building itself — colonial columns meeting a modern latticed roof — rewards slow exploration. The rooftop terrace offers one of the better views of the Padang and Marina Bay, especially when storm clouds are building over the water.
Civic DistrictGardens by the Bay — Cloud Forest and Flower Dome
attractionTwo cooled conservatories sitting on reclaimed land by Marina Bay. The Cloud Forest's interior waterfall and elevated walkways are genuinely impressive regardless of the weather outside, and the Flower Dome's floral displays typically shift to early festive themes by late November. The outdoor Supertree Grove is free to walk through and dramatic at night, though you'll want to time it between showers.
Marina BayTiong Bahru
neighborhoodSingapore's oldest public housing estate has become a quietly stylish neighbourhood of independent cafes, bookshops, and pre-war art deco apartment blocks. The covered five-foot ways and narrow streets make it one of the more comfortable areas to walk during rain. Tiong Bahru Market downstairs is a working wet market in the morning and a hawker centre all day — the chwee kueh (steamed rice cakes with preserved radish) is a local benchmark.
Tiong BahruJewel Changi Airport
attractionEven if you're not flying, Jewel's Rain Vortex — the world's tallest indoor waterfall at 40 metres — is worth a trip to the airport. During heavy monsoon rain, the volume of water flowing through the vortex increases noticeably, making November visits more dramatic than drier months. The surrounding indoor garden, Canopy Park, and food options make it easy to spend a half day here when outdoor plans wash out.
ChangiKatong and Joo Chiat
neighborhoodThe Peranakan heritage neighbourhood east of the city centre is lined with pastel-painted shophouses, old-school bakeries selling pineapple tarts and kueh lapis, and some of the best laksa in Singapore. The five-foot-way covered walkways help during showers. East Coast Road is the main artery — walk it slowly, ducking into shops as rain dictates. The Peranakan architecture here photographs well even under grey skies.
KatongArtScience Museum
museumThe lotus-shaped building at the base of Marina Bay Sands hosts rotating exhibitions that lean toward the intersection of art and technology. It's fully air-conditioned, right next to the MRT, and connects to the Marina Bay Sands mall via a covered walkway — which makes it a reliable rainy-afternoon option. The building's design channels rainwater from the roof into an interior waterfall, so November's rain literally makes the architecture work harder.
Marina BayMacRitchie Reservoir TreeTop Walk
natureA 250-metre suspension bridge through the forest canopy, 25 metres above the forest floor. November mornings — before the rain arrives — can be surprisingly clear and cooler than usual, and the reservoir trail is lush from the monsoon rains. The forest canopy drips, the sound of insects is loud, and you might spot long-tailed macaques in the branches. Go early and check the weather radar before committing to the 7km loop.
Central Catchment
Your packing checklist
Tick items off as you pack. Your progress saves in this browser.
Insider tips
The covered walkways connecting MRT stations to nearby malls — locals call them sheltered linkways — are mapped in the MyTransport app. During monsoon season, knowing these routes turns a soggy 10-minute walk into a dry 12-minute one. The network around Bugis, City Hall, and Raffles Place is extensive enough that you can cover most of the Civic District without an umbrella.
Tekka Centre in Little India is where locals actually eat during Deepavali week — not the tourist-targeted restaurants along Race Course Road. The upstairs wet market closes by noon, but the ground-floor hawker stalls run until evening. The mee goreng and roti prata here cost half what you'd pay at a sit-down Indian restaurant.
When a heavy storm is forecast, skip Gardens by the Bay's outdoor areas entirely and head straight to the Cloud Forest dome — everyone else waits out the rain in the gift shop or café, so the upper walkways inside the dome are often near-empty during downpours. Some of the best photos happen when lightning flashes through the glass.
November's Deepavali bazaar along Campbell Lane is the cheapest place in Singapore to buy Indian spices, brass kitchenware, and flower garlands in bulk. Prices here are a fraction of what you'd pay at the tourist-oriented shops around Clarke Quay. The stall operators expect bargaining — start at about 60% of the asking price.
The free light-and-water show at Marina Bay Sands (Spectra) runs nightly, but November evenings have a coin-flip chance of rain cancellation. Check the Marina Bay Sands app the day of — they update cancellation status by 6pm. If Spectra is cancelled, the Supertree Grove sound-and-light show at Gardens by the Bay has a covered viewing area near the OCBC Skyway entrance.
Avoid these mistakes
- Booking a full day on Sentosa's outdoor beaches or water parks without a backup plan — November's rain can arrive as early as noon and persist through the evening, leaving you stranded on an island with limited covered activities. Check the 3-hour radar forecast before heading across the causeway.
- Assuming the rain means cooler temperatures and dressing in closed shoes and long pants — it's still 30°C with crushing humidity. You'll overheat faster than you think. Dress for tropical heat with rain capability, not for an autumn drizzle.
- Planning tight schedules between outdoor attractions without buffer time — the monsoon rain genuinely disrupts transit. Grab rides surge during storms, buses slow to a crawl on flooded roads, and even the 5-minute walk from an MRT exit to your destination becomes a 15-minute detour through covered routes. Build 30-minute gaps between appointments.
- Skipping Little India because it's not on the typical Marina Bay tourist loop — November's Deepavali celebrations are arguably the most culturally rich experience available in Singapore this month, and they're free. The light-up alone is worth an evening trip, and the food at Tekka Centre and the surrounding Indian restaurants is at its most festive.
Practical tips for November
Book accommodation in neighbourhoods with MRT access and covered walkways — Bugis, Chinatown, and Orchard are the most rain-resilient areas for daily logistics. Carry a portable battery pack since constant phone-as-radar usage drains batteries fast. The NEA weather app (or the MyENV app) provides 2-hour rainfall radar that's surprisingly accurate for timing your outdoor windows. Most malls open at 10am and stay open until 10pm, which is useful when you need to kill time during a storm. Hawker centres generally don't take credit cards, so withdraw Singapore dollars from ATMs in MRT stations (POSB/DBS and UOB have the lowest foreign-card fees). Grab is the dominant ride-hail app and surges hard during rain — budget 2-3x normal fare for afternoon storm windows, or just wait it out. MRT trains run until about midnight and are by far the most reliable transit in bad weather. If you're catching a late-November flight, clear immigration early — Changi's Terminal 3 departure area connects to Jewel, so you can spend your final hours at the Rain Vortex rather than a cramped gate lounge.
FAQ
Is November a good time to visit Singapore?
It's fair, not ideal. November is the wettest month of the year with 372mm of rainfall and rain on 27 of 30 days, so outdoor plans need constant flexibility. That said, the rain mostly arrives in afternoon bursts rather than all-day grey, and the cultural calendar — Deepavali, the Christmas light-up launch, Singapore Writers Festival — gives you genuine reasons to be here. If you're comfortable building your days around indoor attractions and timing outdoor walks for mornings, you can have a good trip. But if you want reliable beach weather or hate humidity, February or July are stronger choices.
What is the weather like in Singapore in November?
Hot, humid, and very wet. Average highs reach 30°C (86°F), lows sit around 24°C (75°F), and humidity stays pinned near 88%. Rainfall hits 372mm — the highest of any month — spread across 27 rainy days. Most rain falls in intense afternoon or evening thunderstorms lasting 30-90 minutes, though the northeast monsoon can occasionally bring longer episodes of several hours. Mornings are typically the driest window. The UV index remains high even on overcast days.
Does it rain every day in Singapore in November?
Nearly. Historical data shows rain on about 27 of 30 days, but that statistic is a bit misleading. A 'rainy day' in Singapore might mean a 20-minute shower at 4pm followed by clear skies by 5pm. Truly all-day rain — the kind where you never see a dry window — happens maybe 3-5 times in the month. The trick is learning to read the radar apps and planning outdoor time for the gaps. Most locals don't cancel plans because of rain; they just shift timing.
Is Singapore crowded in November?
Moderately. November sits between the June-August school-holiday peak and the December-January festive rush, making it one of the calmer months for tourism. Queues at major attractions like Gardens by the Bay and Universal Studios are noticeably shorter than in July or December. Little India gets crowded around Deepavali — especially the weekend closest to the public holiday — but the rest of the city feels relaxed. Hotel availability is generally good, and you can secure walk-in tables at most restaurants.
What should I pack for Singapore in November?
Think tropical rain, not autumn weather. Lightweight, quick-dry clothing is essential — cotton stays damp and uncomfortable in 88% humidity. Bring waterproof sandals or mesh shoes that can handle getting soaked and dry within an hour. A packable rain jacket with a hood beats an umbrella in wind-driven storms, though carry both. Pack a light cardigan or layer for air-conditioned spaces, which are kept aggressively cold (often around 20-22°C) compared to the 30°C outdoors. Sunscreen is still necessary — the equatorial UV punches through cloud cover.
Last verified by automated review (v1.7.2) on June 2, 2026. What is automated review?