Climate in New Orleans — Annual Weather Overview
New Orleans has a subtropical climate — hot summers, mild winters, rainfall spread throughout the year. The hottest month is August (average high 31.6°C) and the coolest is January (17.1°C). There is a noticeable seasonal temperature shift of 14.5°C between August and January. Annual rainfall totals around 1735mm. July is the wettest month at 231.5mm, while January averages just 85.4mm. Average daily sunshine is 9.4 hours.
**Spring (March, April, May):** average highs 25.3°C, 386mm rain. **Summer (June, July, August):** average highs 31.1°C, 671mm rain. **Autumn (September, October, November):** average highs 25.2°C, 348mm rain. **Winter (December, January, February):** average highs 18.1°C, 330mm rain.
New Orleans — Monthly Temperatures
New Orleans — Monthly Rainfall
✅ Best months to visit
All year
ℹ️ No months to avoid
Weather in New Orleans stays reasonable all year.
New Orleans weather by month
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun/day | Rainy days | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17.1°C | 9.5°C | 85.4mm | 7.5h | 12 | 10/10 |
| February | 18.6°C | 10.5°C | 114.3mm | 7.9h | 11 | 9/10 |
| March | 22.9°C | 15.1°C | 126.2mm | 9.6h | 14 | 9/10 |
| April | 24.7°C | 17.2°C | 129.7mm | 9.8h | 13 | 9/10 |
| May | 28.4°C | 21.1°C | 130.2mm | 11.0h | 15 | 9/10 |
| June | 30.8°C | 24.3°C | 210.1mm | 11.2h | 18 | 8/10 |
| July | 31.0°C | 25.3°C | 231.5mm | 10.1h | 24 | 8/10 |
| August | 31.6°C | 25.7°C | 229.1mm | 10.0h | 19 | 8/10 |
| September | 29.2°C | 23.5°C | 159.8mm | 10.0h | 15 | 9/10 |
| October | 25.8°C | 18.8°C | 87.7mm | 9.7h | 8 | 10/10 |
| November | 20.6°C | 14.0°C | 100.0mm | 8.0h | 9 | 10/10 |
| December | 18.5°C | 11.7°C | 130.7mm | 7.8h | 10 | 9/10 |
For the full verdict on when to go, see the best time to visit New Orleans. Seasonal breakdowns: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What type of climate does New Orleans have?
New Orleans has a subtropical climate — hot summers, mild winters, rainfall spread throughout the year. Average highs range from 17.1°C in January to 31.6°C in August.
What is the hottest month in New Orleans?
August is the hottest month in New Orleans, with average highs of 31.6°C and lows of 25.7°C.
What is the coldest month in New Orleans?
January is the coolest month, with average highs of 17.1°C and lows of 9.5°C.
What is the wettest month in New Orleans?
July is the wettest month, averaging 231.5mm of rainfall over around 24 rainy days.
How much rain does New Orleans get per year?
New Orleans receives around 1735mm of rain per year. The driest month is January (85.4mm).
When is the best time to visit New Orleans?
The best time to visit New Orleans is All year. See the full month-by-month guide →
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Trip essentials for New Orleans
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Climate data sourced from Open-Meteo (open source, open data licence). Monthly averages calculated from 2020–2023 historical data. Weather can be unpredictable — always check a live forecast before travelling.