Climate in New Orleans
| Climate
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Jan
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Feb
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Mar
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Apr
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May
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Jun
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Jul
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Aug
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Sep
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Oct
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Nov
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Dec
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| Daily highs (°F)
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62 |
65 |
71 |
78 |
85 |
89 |
91 |
90 |
87 |
80 |
71 |
65
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| Nightly lows (°F)
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43 |
46 |
52 |
58 |
66 |
71 |
73 |
73 |
70 |
60 |
50 |
45
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| Precipitation (in)
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5.1 |
5.5 |
5.3 |
4.8 |
4.9 |
5.6 |
6.6 |
5.9 |
5.4 |
2.8 |
4.5 |
5.3
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Check New Orleans's 7 day forecast at
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A local joke has it that New Orleans really does have four seasons: Summer, Hurricane, Christmas, and Mardi Gras. Summer is certainly the longest; for about half the year, from about late April to the start of October, the days are usually hot, or raining, or hot and raining. Winters are generally short and mild, but subject to occasional cold snaps that may surprise visitors who mistakenly think the city has a year round tropical climate. The high humidity can make the cold snaps feel quite penetrating. Snow is so rare that the occasional light dusting of flakes will make most locals stop what they are doing to stare; they'll excitedly show the phenomenon to local children too young to remember the last time snow visited the city. If you happen to be visiting town during a rare freezing event, be forewarned that most locals have no idea how to drive on iced or snowy roads.
The Atlantic hurricane season (which includes all of the Gulf of Mexico) is June 1 through November 30. The most active month is September.
Some say the best time to visit New Orleans is between late November and early June. However New Orleans has things going on all year long. A rewarding visit can be made even the hottest part of the summer: Start your day early, and do your outdoor sightseeing in the morning. The lush local flora can display a wealth of colorful flowers. Mid-day and afternoon, retreat to air-conditioning; visit a museum, have a leisurely visit to a cafe or restaurant, or take a siesta at your hotel. Come back outside when the sun gets low. After dark the night shift of flora comes on duty; especially in older neighborhoods such as Esplanade Ridge, Carrollton, the Garden District, etc with an abundance of night-blooming jasmine, the sweet deliciously scented air can be almost intoxicating.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about New Orleans
