Ames weather in November

In November, Ames sees average daytime highs of 47°F and overnight lows near 29°F, with 2.0 in of precipitation across 6.5 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 53°F in the first days to 40°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in November, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 06 min at the start of November to 9 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, November is Ames's 6th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ames's year-round climate.

Daytime high
47°
8th warmest
Overnight low
29°
5th coldest
Precipitation
2.0 in
6.5 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
7:12 AM – 4:47 PM
Cloud cover
58%
6th clearest
Wind
10 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
2.17 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.6
out of 10

Ames is city in Story County, Iowa, United States.

Density
1,035/km²
people per km²
Founded
1864

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in November

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 53°F in the first days to 40°F by the end.

A typical November day in Ames reaches about 47°F in the afternoon and slips back to 29°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 31°F and 62°F. Set against its neighbours, November runs about 15°F cooler than October and about 13°F warmer than December.

20°40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15435
25335
35334
45234
55233
65133
75133
85032
95032
104931
114931
124831
134830
144730
154730
164629
174629
184629
194528
204528
214428
224427
234327
244226
254226
264225
274125
284024
294024
303924

How November really feels in Ames

Once humidity and wind are folded in, November averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 30 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
30
2 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

The story in November is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Ames weather by month

How November compares with the rest of the year at a glance. November is the 8th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 13°1.264.89.30.0
Feb33° / 16°1.46.54.710.30.0
Mar47° / 28°2.58.9311.71.5
Apr60° / 40°4.511.1113.14.6
May71° / 52°5.513.60.114.36.0
Jun80° / 62°5.111.80156.3
Jul83° / 65°3.89.6014.76.1
Aug81° / 62°4.09.2013.76.8
Sep74° / 54°3.68.5012.37.2
Oct62° / 42°2.980.510.95.5
Nov47° / 29°2.06.51.79.61.6
Dec33° / 18°1.664.590.0

Cloud cover in November

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in November.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of November, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 55%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24852
34852
44852
54852
64852
74852
84852
94951
104951
114951
124951
134852
144753
154753
164654
174654
184456
194456
204357
214357
224258
234258
244258
254258
264159
274060
284060
294060
304060

Chance of precipitation in November

Any precipitationSnow

Ames gets around 2.0 in of rain and snow over 6.5 wet days in November. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 22% and peaks near 22% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202530
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1224
2224
3224
4214
5214
6215
7215
8215
9215
10215
11215
12215
13215
14226
15226
16226
17226
18226
19226
20226
21227
22227
23227
24228
25228
26229
27229
282110
292110
302111

Humidity in November

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of November feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, November lands in the dry band about 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19721
29721
39820
49820
59910
69910
79910
89910
99910
109910
119910
129910
139910
149910
159910
169910
179910
189910
199910
209910
219910
229910
2310000
2410000
2510000
2610000
2710000
2810000
2910000
3010000

Wind in November

Winds average 10 mph in November.

Across November, daily wind ranges from about 10 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in November

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 06 min at the start of November to 9 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 54 minutes over November. Sunrise moves from 6:54 AM to 7:28 AM, and sunset from 5:02 PM to 4:39 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.16:545:02
210.16:555:01
310.16:565:00
410.06:584:59
510.06:594:58
69.97:004:56
79.97:014:55
89.97:034:54
99.87:044:53
109.87:054:52
119.87:064:51
129.77:084:50
139.77:094:50
149.67:104:49
159.67:114:48
169.67:124:47
179.57:144:46
189.57:154:46
199.57:164:45
209.47:174:44
219.47:184:44
229.47:204:43
239.47:214:42
249.37:224:42
259.37:234:41
269.37:244:41
279.37:254:40
289.27:264:40
299.27:274:40
309.27:284:39

Solar energy in November

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in November, about 2.17 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.77 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in July across the year — November's 2.17 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.6Moderate
22.5Moderate
32.5Moderate
42.5Moderate
52.5Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.3Moderate
112.3Moderate
122.3Moderate
132.3Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.2Moderate
162.2Moderate
172.1Moderate
182.1Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.0Moderate
212.0Moderate
222.0Moderate
232.0Dim
242.0Dim
251.9Dim
261.9Dim
271.9Dim
281.9Dim
291.9Dim
301.9Dim
Planning a trip in November

Is November a good time to visit Ames?

Our two travel scores rate November for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

1.6
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

November is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Ames.

What to pack for Ames in November

From November's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In November, Ames sees daytime highs around 47°F and nights near 29°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat. About 7 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Ames in November

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in November peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Ames peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Ames in November

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where November falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Ames is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 2016 µg/m³Oct 217 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr11Good
May11Good
Jun12Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct7Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Ames?

Ames sits at 42.0°N, 93.6°W, 942 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ankeny, 21 mi away.

Topography around Ames

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Ames.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Ames has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 207 ft around an average of 932 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 325 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 568 ft.

The land around Ames is covered by trees (38%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 2 miles, cropland (74%) within 10 miles, and cropland (78%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
207 ft
10 miles
325 ft
50 miles
568 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
November weather nearby: Ankeny 21 mi · Johnston 25 mi · Altoona 28 mi · Urbandale 29 mi · Des Moines 30 mi · Clive 30 mi · West Des Moines 32 mi · Waukee 32 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Ames (42.0347°, -93.6199°, elevation 942 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).