Palo Alto in fall

Fall in Palo Alto does not look like fall in New England. September is usually the warmest month of the year, October stays sunny and dry and the leaves do not really turn until November. That slow start is the appeal. The summer fog that chills San Francisco and the coast tends to ease, the evenings are mild and the campus comes back to life after a quiet summer. Then the first rain arrives, the air clears and the hills begin to green again.

This guide covers the season as a whole. For event details and dates month by month, see our guides to September, October and November. Here you will find how the weather shifts across the three months, the events that set the calendar, where to find the late fall color and how to book around football weekends and Thanksgiving.

Fall weather in numbers

NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Palo Alto station show a season that starts in summer and ends at the edge of winter. Our weather guide uses the same figures.

The drop is steep. Average highs fall about 16 degrees from September to November. Rain goes from almost nothing to the start of the wet season. Three phases are worth knowing:

• Heat season, September. A typical September has about four days at 90°F or more. The record of 108°F came on September 6, 2022.
• Golden season, October. Warm, mostly dry days in the mid 70s and cooler nights. Fire danger stays high until the first good soaking.
• First storms, November. Highs in the low to mid 60s, the first real storms and frost on clear mornings by the end of the month.

Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in November, which falls on November 7 in 2027. After that, sunset comes before 5:15 p.m., so plan outdoor sightseeing for the morning and early afternoon. Check the National Weather Service Bay Area office for heat advisories, Red Flag Warnings and the first storm forecasts.

Heat, fire and smoke

Early fall is peak fire season in California. Dry grass and offshore winds raise the risk in the foothills. During Red Flag Warnings some trails in the hills close and Stanford can limit access to the Dish. Smoke from fires elsewhere in the state can drift into the Bay Area for days at a time. Our air quality guide explains how to read the index and where to check it. On hot days, hike before 9 a.m. and save the afternoon for museums.

The events that shape the season

Football and campus weekends

Football is the backbone of a Stanford fall. Home games bring tens of thousands of fans and fill hotels across the Peninsula. Stanford's 2027 schedule had not been released in October 2026. The ACC has named Cal, Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse and Virginia as 2027 conference home opponents. The Big Game against Cal returns to Stanford Stadium in 2027 on a date still to come. Caltrain's Stanford station did not open for 2026 games, so ride to Palo Alto station and walk. Our Stanford athletics guide covers tickets and game day traffic.

Code:ART and downtown nights

Every other October the city turns downtown into an outdoor gallery of light and media art. The fifth edition is set for October 13 to 16, 2027. It is free and best seen after dark.

Skating starts early

The Winter Lodge opens its outdoor skating season in mid-October. The 2026 to 2027 season opened on October 16, 2026. Skating on a warm October evening is a very Palo Alto experience. Buy session tickets online in advance.

Fall color, late and local

Palo Alto's leaves turn late. A few street trees change by the end of October, but the peak usually comes in mid to late November. Chinese pistache and sweetgum turn red and orange. Ginkgos tend to go bright yellow last, often around Thanksgiving, then drop all at once after a windy storm. Some color lingers into the first week of December.

The best fall walks are in the older neighborhoods with mature street trees. Crescent Park, Old Palo Alto and Professorville all reward a slow loop on a clear November afternoon.

Birds, tides and the first green

Wintering ducks start arriving on the bay through October and fill the Baylands by November. Northern shovelers, pintails and buffleheads join the shorebirds. The California King Tides Project lists November 24 to 26, 2026 as king tide dates, when the highest tides flood the marsh. After the first soaking rain, the foothills stay tan for a few weeks, then start to green from the bottom up.

At the farmers markets, fall brings persimmons, pomegranates, apples, pears, winter squash and the last tomatoes, followed by mandarins and the first citrus in November. Our farmers markets guide has the Saturday and Sunday details.

School and holiday calendars

• Labor Day opens the season. PAUSD schools are closed that Monday.
• PAUSD staff day. The district has a non-student day in early October, set for Friday, October 1 in 2027.
• Veterans Day, November 11, closes schools and city offices.
• Thanksgiving week. PAUSD's break runs November 22 to 26, 2027, per the district's published calendars. Our Thanksgiving guide covers races, dinners and closures.

Stanford's autumn quarter starts in late September and runs into mid-December. Campus is busiest on weekdays and on football and reunion weekends.

What to pack

1. Summer clothes for September, plus a hat and sunscreen for heat waves.
2. A light sweater for October evenings in the 50s.
3. A rain jacket and warmer layer for November, when nights fall into the low 40s.
4. Walking shoes that can handle damp leaves and the odd muddy trail after the first storms.

Hotels and booking

Fall is a strong season for Palo Alto hotels. Business travel runs at full speed, Stanford move-in brings families in mid-September and football and reunion weekends add demand on top. Book early if your trip overlaps a home game. Thanksgiving is the exception, when business travel stops and rooms are often easier to find. When your dates are set, compare Palo Alto hotels for fall and choose a refundable rate.

Frequently asked questions