New Orleans (LA) Weather and Climate: A Comprehensive Guide
New Orleans has a humid subtropical climate with mild winters and warm summers. Best time to go would be in spring or autumn. From February to May the weather is comfortably cool. During summer average temperatures easily rise above 40°C and it can be very humid because of the amount of rainfall.
From June to November it's hurricane season, with a peak in late August and September.
Average maximum day and minimum night temperature
Depending on the time of the year, temperatures range from very warm to moderate in New Orleans. Typically, average maximum daytime temperatures range from a very warm 33°C in August to a moderate 17°C in the coolest month, January.
Nights are cooler, with lows often dropping to around 7°C during the colder months. Check out our detailed temperature page for more information.Temperature ranges by month
Precipitation and rainy days
New Orleans has a relatively rainy climate with high precipitation levels, averaging 1664 mm of rainfall annually. The climate in New Orleans shows significant variation throughout the year. Expect heavy rainfall in August, with an average of 219 mm of precipitation over 19 rainy days. In contrast, November offers drier and sunnier days, with around 67 mm of rainfall over 6 rainy days. For more details, please visit our New Orleans Precipitation page.The mean monthly precipitation over the year, including rain, hail and snow
The average number of days each month with precipitation
Sunshine over the year
For those who appreciate different seasons, New Orleans serves as an ideal destination. Expect longer, more sun-filled days in May with an average of 9.3 hours of sunshine daily, and embrace the darker days in January, offering only 5.1 hours of daily sunlight. Visit our detailed sunshine hours page for more information.Monthly hours of sunshine
Daily hours of sunshine
Daily percentage of sunshine
Average water temperature
The mean water temperature over the year ranges from 20°C in January to 28°C in June.
Water temperature over the year
Average humidity
The relative humidity is high throughout the year in New Orleans.
The city experiences its highest humidity in July, reaching 79%. In February, the humidity drops to its lowest level at 73%. Explore our detailed page on humidity levels for further details.
Relative humidity over the year
Average wind speed
The average wind speed over the year ranges from 3 m/s to 5 m/s. It is lower in June, July, August, September and October and higher in February and March.
The mean monthly wind speed over the year (meters per second)
clear and no rain clear and no rain partly cloudy and no rainForecast for New Orleans (LA)
4 m/s
4 m/s
4 m/s
The best time of year to visit New Orleans in the United States of America
During the months of March, April and November you are most likely to experience good weather with pleasant average temperatures that fall between 20°C and 26°C.Other facts from our historical weather data:
Most rainfall (rainy season) is seen in July, August, September and December.
August has an average maximum temperature of 33°C and is the warmest month of the year.
The coldest month is January with an average maximum temperature of 17°C.
August tops the wettest month list with 219 mm of rainfall.
November is the driest month with 67 mm of precipitation.
May is the sunniest month with an average of 279 hours of sunshine.
No idea where to travel to this year? We have a tool that recommends destinations based on your ideal conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.
