The best times to visit New Orleans for ideal weather are

January 29th to May 13th

or

October 15th to December 23rd

based on average temperature and humidity from NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Read below for more weather and travel details.

 

 


Other New Orleans Travel Info

Weather in New Orleans

Temperature

Average temperatures in New Orleans vary greatly. Considering humidity, temperatures feel nice most of the year, excluding some hot weeks in the summer, with a fair chance of precipitation about half of the year. The area is somewhat temperate — in the 43rd percentile for pleasant weather — compared to tourist destinations worldwide. Weeks with ideal weather are listed above. If you’re looking for the very warmest time to visit New Orleans, the hottest months are June, August, and then July. See average monthly temperatures below. The warmest time of year is generally early August where highs are regularly around 93.7°F (34.3°C) with temperatures rarely dropping below 80.3°F (26.8°C) at night.

New Orleans Temperatures (Fahrenheit)

Key
High
Average
Low

New Orleans Temperatures (Celsius)

Key
High
Average
Low

“Feels-Like” Temperatures

The way we experience weather isn’t all about temperature. Higher temperatures affect us much more at higher humidity, and colder temperatures feel piercing with high winds. Our perceived temperatures factor in humidity and wind chill to better represent how hot or cold the day feels to a person.

New Orleans Perceived Temperature (F)

Key
High
Average
Low

New Orleans Perceived Temperature (C)

Key
High
Average
Low

 

Average New Orleans Temperatures by Month

Daily highs (averaged for the month) usually give the best indication of the weather. A significantly lower mean and low generally just means it gets colder at night.

Show Fahrenheit

Month Avg. High (°F) Avg. Mean (°F) Avg. Low (°F)
Jan 61.5 53.1 47.5
Feb 67.8 58.9 53.1
Mar 70.7 60.3 53.6
Apr 77.5 68.9 63.4
May 84.6 76.2 69.5
Jun 91.9 83.6 77.3
Jul 90.8 83.2 77.6
Aug 91 83.6 78.4
Sep 89.1 81.6 76.6
Oct 82 73.7 67.8
Nov 69.5 60.4 53.8
Dec 67.5 58.7 52.8

Show Celsius

Month Avg. High (°C) Avg. Mean (°C) Avg. Low (°C)
Jan 16.4 11.7 8.6
Feb 19.9 14.9 11.7
Mar 21.5 15.7 12
Apr 25.3 20.5 17.4
May 29.2 24.6 20.8
Jun 33.3 28.7 25.2
Jul 32.7 28.4 25.3
Aug 32.8 28.7 25.8
Sep 31.7 27.6 24.8
Oct 27.8 23.2 19.9
Nov 20.8 15.8 12.1
Dec 19.7 14.8 11.6

 


 

Precipitation (Rain or Snow)

If dry weather is what you’re after, the months with the lowest chance of significant precipitation in New Orleans are October, March, and then January. Note that we define “significant precipitation” as .1 inches or more in this section. The lowest chance of rain or snow occurs around late January and early February. For example, on the week of January 29th there are no days of precipitation on average. By contrast, it’s most likely to rain or snow in late May to early June with an average of 5 days of significant precipitation the week of May 28th.

When can you find snow in New Orleans? Weather stations report no annual snow. Please note that a value of 0 for snow in the graph below may either mean there was no snow, or that snow is unreported.

Chance of Precipitation

The graph below shows the % chance of rainy and snowy days in New Orleans.

Key
Days with precipitation

Snow on the Ground

The graph below shows the average snow on the ground in New Orleans (in).

Key
Snow depth

Average Rain and Snow by Month

Show Inches

Month Daily Chance of Rain Average Snow Depth (in) Total Precipitation (in)
Jan 13% 0 3.4
Feb 28% 0 8.4
Mar 11% 0 3.5
Apr 14% 0 5.1
May 16% 0 6.5
Jun 28% 0 5.7
Jul 26% 0 5.3
Aug 33% 0 10.7
Sep 32% 0 4.9
Oct 11% 0 1.5
Nov 18% 0 2.6
Dec 15% 0 3.2

Show Centimeters

Month Daily Chance of Rain Average Snow Depth (cm) Total Precipitation (cm)
Jan 13 0 8.6
Feb 28 0 21.3
Mar 11 0 8.9
Apr 14 0 13
May 16 0 16.5
Jun 28 0 14.5
Jul 26 0 13.5
Aug 33 0 27.2
Sep 32 0 12.4
Oct 11 0 3.8
Nov 18 0 6.6
Dec 15 0 8.1

 

Humidity and Wind

New Orleans has some slightly muggy months, with moderately humid months on the other side of the year. The least humid month is November (50% relative humidity), and the most humid month is August (60.1%).

Wind in New Orleans is usually calm. The windiest month is April, followed by March and May. April’s average wind speed of around 6.3 knots (7.2 MPH or 11.6 KPH) is considered “a light breeze.” Maximum sustained winds (the highest speed for the day lasting more than a few moments) are at their highest in early to mid April where average top sustained speeds reach 14.6 knots, which is considered a moderate breeze.

Relative Humidity (%)

The graph below shows the average % humidity by month in New Orleans.

Key
Avg. Relative Humidity

Wind

The graph below shows wind speed (max and average) in knots.

Key
Max Sustained Wind
Average Daily Wind

Average Wind Speeds

Show Wind Speeds

All wind speeds are in knots. 1 knot = 1.15 MPH or 1.85 KPH.

Month Avg. Wind Avg. Wind Feel Sustained High Wind High Wind Feel
Jan 5.4 Light breeze 10.7 Gentle breeze
Feb 5 Light breeze 11.1 Significant breeze
Mar 5.5 Light breeze 11.3 Gentle breeze
Apr 6.3 Light breeze 12.6 Significant breeze
May 5.4 Light breeze 11.2 Gentle breeze
Jun 4.3 Light breeze 9.9 Gentle breeze
Jul 3.8 Barely noticeable 9.1 Gentle breeze
Aug 4 Light breeze 9.9 Gentle breeze
Sep 3.6 Barely noticeable 9.2 Gentle breeze
Oct 4.3 Light breeze 9.4 Gentle breeze
Nov 5.2 Light breeze 10.1 Gentle breeze
Dec 5.2 Light breeze 10.2 Gentle breeze

Show Relative Humidity by Month

Month Avg. Relative Humidity
Jan 55.7%
Feb 56.9%
Mar 50.2%
Apr 59.1%
May 51.5%
Jun 57.8%
Jul 58.5%
Aug 60.1%
Sep 58.3%
Oct 51.8%
Nov 50%
Dec 59.8%

 

Is it Safe to Travel to New Orleans?

Our best data indicates this area is generally safe. As of Dec 04, 2023 there are no travel advisories or warnings for the United States; exercise normal security precautions. Check this page for any recent changes or regions to avoid: Travel Advice and Advisories. This advisory was last updated on Dec 04, 2023.


 

The Busiest and Least Crowded Months

The busiest month for tourism in New Orleans, LA, US is February, followed by January and March. Prices for hotels and flights will be most expensive during these months, though you can save if you purchase well in advance. Tourists are unlikely to visit New Orleans in November. Those willing to visit at these times will likely find it the least expensive month.

Estimated Tourism by Month

 

Most Popular Months to Visit

Key
Tourists Seeking Accommodations

Tourism graph is based on Google searches for services used by tourists relative to the rest of the year. Tourism data for this area is very reliable. Displayed data is calculated relative to the peak, so a score of 63 in November means 63% of the tourists vs. February.

 

 

Overall New Orleans Travel Experience by Season

Spring (March through May)

Humidity and temperatures combine to make this season feel warm. Highs range from 88.8°F (31.6°C) and 65.4°F (18.6°C) with warmer temperatures in the later months. Rain is somewhat common with 3 to 5 days of significant precipitation per month. Spring is the second busiest for tourism, which makes it a good time for those looking for things to do.

Summer (June through August)

The middle-year months have very comfortable weather with high temperatures that are quite warm. These months see the most precipitation with 8 to 10 days of precipitation per month. June – August is fairly slow season for tourism in New Orleans, so lodging and other accommodations may cost slightly less.

Fall (September through November)

Fall daily highs range from 92.3°F (33.5°C) and 66.5°F (19.2°C), which will feel very nice given the humidity and wind. It rains or snows a significant amount: 3 to 10 days per month. Tourism is the slowest during these months due to the weather, so hotels may be affordably priced.

Winter (December through February)

Weather is somewhat cool this time of year in New Orleans to be enjoyable for warm weather travelers. The average high during this season is between 73.1°F (22.8°C) and 59.4°F (15.2°C). On average, it rains or snows a fair amount: 4 to 8 times per month. These times of year are the busiest with tourists.

 

Best Times to Travel› the United States › New Orleans, LA, US