November is winter in northern Vietnam, is the high rainy season with pleasant temperatures in the Central Coast, is the start of the dry season with pleasant temperatures in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam.

The sea could be rough in several places in Vietnam in November which could be much worse before, during and right after the time of a typhoon.

There may be typhoons in Vietnam in November. If so, they are more likely to hit the Central Coast of the country; and if so, there may be torrential rain in this region. Though it is less likely, but it may be possible that such a typhoon would cause rain in northern Vietnam and southern Vietnam.

Recap of Vietnam's Weather in 2026

It is worth noting that with global climate change, and Vietnam is a long and skinny country with a long coastline, the weather patterns in Vietnam in a given year may be drastically different from the norm nowadays.

1/ In January 2026, there were unusual weather patterns in Vietnam:

- Northern Vietnam experienced a winter with mostly dry weather and perfectly pleasant temperatures, much more like normal autumnal temperatures. There were a couple of times that the winter monsoon brought real cold temperatures in the North which lasted 3-5 days each only.

- The Central Coast of Vietnam entered dry season with sun and pleasant temperatures from the beginning of January 2026, which is very unusual. It is normal that cloudy weather persists with some light rain in the Central Coast in January and February.

- The Central Highlands and southern Vietnam experienced lowest recorded temperatures in January: 8oC and 14.3oC respectively. Saigon Ho Chi Minh City had the lowest temperature of 17oC, unusual if not never before.

- There was unseasonable and heavy rain in southern Vietnam a couple of times.

2/ In February 2026, there were unusual weather patterns in Vietnam:

- There were unseasonable rain in southern Vietnam alternated by days with warm temperatures.

3/ In March 2026, the unusual weather patterns in Vietnam:

- There was unseasonable rain in the Central Coast, the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam.

- There were strong gusts of wind which brough down houses and hails which damaged agricultural crops in Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Son La.

- There was no period of wet indoor air in Vietnam as usual in late March and beginning of April.

4/ In April 2026, the unusual weather patterns in Vietnam were:

- There was unseasonable rain in the Central Coast, in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam. Northern Vietnam had nice weather with sun, clouds, some rain for most of the month with some spells of weak Northeasterly Wind.

Northern Vietnam did not experience moist air periods in April as normal. There was more rain in the North than normal with hails destroying crops. A bad hail destroyed crops in Son La Province.

Southern Vietnam experienced bad strong gusts of wind which destroyed serveral houses in Long An and Dong Thap Provinces.

5/ In May 2026, the unsual weather patterns in Vietnam were:

- Rainy season started later than normal in southern Vietnam (about in the third week of the month). Even with the rain of the rainy season (different from rain of transitional time between dry season and rainy season), temperatures in southern Vietnam were still high. The South experienced warm and hot temperatures for most of the month of May 2026.

- Heavy rain and floods were found in Cao Bang and Quang Ninh Provinces.

- Strong gusts of wind destroyed several tens of houses in Ca Mau Province in southern Vietnam.

6/ In June 2026, the unsual weather patterns in Vietnam were:

- Northern Vietnam experienced a spell of the Northeasterly Monsoon in the second week of June 2026. This wind is often found in Vietnam during the late autumn or in winter only. This is rare and has not been found in the country for several years.

- Heavy rain in southern Vietnam in the second week which caused aircrafts not able to land in Saigon Tan Son Nhat Airport for a while. Heavy rain in southern Vietnam was also found in the third week of June 2026 which caused streets in Saigon Ho Chi Minh City flooded temporarily.

- Northern Vietnam has hit by heat strikes in the first week, in the second week, in the third week and in the final days of June 2026. Each heat strike lasted from 2-4 days but the third and fourth heat strike in June 2026 were intense with high temperatures in Hanoi surpassing 40oC (3rd heat strike), and high temperatures in the North of the Central Coast of Vietnam surpassing 42oC (4th heat strike).

- Most of the Central Coast of Vietnam experienced high temperatures above 36oC or above 38oC for most of June 2026. The North of the Central Coast had some days with nice temperatures thanks to the unseasonable Northeasterly Monsoon. There was short-lived rain in different places in the Central Coast throughout the month.

7/ In July 2026, the unsual weather patterns or extreme weather in Vietnam were:

- Northern Vietnam experienced a very pleasant month with mild sunshine, breezes and pleasant temperatures mostly. It is not wrong to consider that Northern Vietnam entered autumn starting from the beginning of July in 2026 given the autumnal weather in the region throughout the month.

- There was more rain in the North and the North of the Central Coast more than normal.

- The Central Coast of Vietnam had hot days alternated by days with rain and tolerable or pleasant temperatures.

- Only 1 Typhoon, Typhoon No. 1 which hit Mong Cai City of Quang Ninh Province. Typhoon No. 2 did not hit Vietnam and did not have impact on the weather of the inland of Vietnam.

- Heavy rain caused floods in Cao Bang, Quang Ninh, Lai Chau, Lao Cai Provinces: The important routes No. 32 and No. 279 were flooded and partially destroyed, flash floods swept destroyed several houses and all crops in the Muong Than Valley.

- Rough sea around the Phu Quoc Island, Cu Lao Cham Island (Hoi An), and other islands in all of Vietnam.

8/ In August 2026, the unusual weather patterns and extreme weather were:

- There were two typhoons in the East Sea which did not make landfall in mainland Vietnam: No. 3 (Kujira) made its way northeastward and No. 4 made its way back and forth before traveling northward hitting China. Typhoon No. 4 caused torrential rain in northern Vietnam for 2-4 days causing floods in Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Bac Giang, Cao Bang Provinces. The unsual paths of the typhoons are due to high sea temperatures and for interaction between Kujira and Super Typhoon Dolphin which was active in the northwest of the Pacific Ocean.

- Torrential rain caused flooded areas in Lao Cai City.

9/ In September 2026, the weather patterns and extreme weather were:

- Typhoon No .5 (Saudel) formed in the Gulf of Tonkin which made landfall in China at the beginning of the month (01-03 of September). This typhoon weakened to be a tropical depression and strengthened to be a typhoon again. The path of the typhoon is rare.

- First spell of the Northeasterly Monsoon (autumn winter season 2026-2027) on 09-September-2026 which is about a month or more than usual.

- The second week of September found a tropical depression formed near the Hoang Sa Islands (Paracel Island of Vietnam) which made landfall in Quang Tri which combined with the newly arrived Northeasterly Monsoon and a intertropical convergence zone caused torrential rain and flood in Quang Tri, Da Nang... in the second and third week of September.

- Heavy rain was found all over Vietnam for several days of the month.

- Heavy rain caused floods in the Central Coast (Quang Tri, Vinh,...) and landlides on roads and passes between the Central Highlands and the lowland (Dran, Gia Bac, Prenn, Dai Ninh...).

- Heavy rain caused flooded streets in Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc,.. in southern Vietnam. Strong water currents caused fatal accidents.

- While there was more rain in the North and the South of Vietnam; the temperature levels were higher than normal.

- Birdwatching in September 2026 proved to be not good due to high temperatures, fewer birds and heavy and long-lasting rain. Neither did trekking in Vietnam in September 2026. Other general adventure tours were just as good as normal though.

10/ In October 2026, the weather patterns and extreme weather were:

- High temperature levels in all of Vietnam and this is unusual:

+ Northern Vietnam should have had chilly temperatures mostly, but high temperatures surpassed 35oC in the North some days. The sun was very bright and strong sunshine made it hot in the sun while very pleasant in a shade at the same time.

+ It did not rain that much in the Central Coast and there were days with clouds, sun in this region.

+ Heavy rain in the South and in the Central Highlands with rainfalls much more than normal which concentrated in short periods of time, and this caused problems in cities including Saigon Ho Chi Minh City and those in the Mekong Delta. As soon as a rain stopped, the temperatures built up quickly and gave warm or hot feeling in the South.

All this took place in Vietnam given that El Nino had entered a strong impact on the country climate.

- No typhoons in Vietnam in October 2026.

- Warmer than usual weather made birding in northern Vietnam not good experiences and heavy rain in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam did not provide good birdwatching experiences either.

- Dry weather in the North did provide opportunities for great trekking tours in the far northern mountains where temperatures were mostly pleasant.

What to Expect of the Weather in Vietnam in November

Northern Vietnam may have sunny or cloudy weather with light rain, or without rain. It may rain more or less depending on a specific year, but it is normally lovely weather in the North. The Northeasterly Monsoon should be active and can blow moisture inland from the sea which causes cool temperatures with rain. Alternatively, this monsoon may blow through inland which causes dry weather with pleasant temperatures in the North of Vietnam.

The Northeasterly Monsoon would be more likely to cause heavy and long-lasting rain in the Central Coast of the country. November is the high rainy season in the Central Coast of Vietnam with heavy and long-lasting rain.

If there is a typhoon in the East Sea in November, then it is more likely to hit the Central Coast of Vietnam, but the impact may be in all over the country. The sea should be rough all over the country and travel between the inland and the islands may be disrupted. It is worth noting that in case of strong Northeasterly Monsoon then the North should be immune from impacts by any typhoons.

The Central Highlands is expected to have pleasant temperatures with dry weather mostly and with some rain. Though it is rare but it has happened that heavy rain continued through November to the end of December in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam.

Southern Vietnam is expected to have pleasant temperatures with dry weather mostly and with possibly some light, short-lived rain.

For the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam, the flood season should be over but abundant food remains for the wildlife, and abundant wildlife is expected in this region this month.

Given it is more likely beautiful weather in the North, birdwatching tours and trekking trips should bring you sensational experiences.

For bird watchers, November is the bird migratory season and several migratory bird species are expected in Vietnam. If it is not under impact of a typhoon, birdwatching is good or great this month.

November is not a good time for birding in the Central Coast given the more likely rainy weather.

November is a good time for birdwatching in the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam. Given the abundant birds and pleasant temperatures, you should have wonderful birding experiences.