When to go · New Orleans, United States
Best time to visit New Orleans
The sweet spot is October, April and May — averages 22°C, 6 rainy days, moderate crowds.
February – May (Mardi Gras to Jazz Fest); October – November
Humid subtropical. Hot, sticky summers (33°C with afternoon thunderstorms) and mild winters (15°C). Spring is festival season and the best time to visit; late summer is hurricane season.
The short answer
22°C · 6 rainy days · mid season
21°C · 7 rainy days · high season
25°C · 7 rainy days · mid season
Hardest months: January and July. averages 12°C, 9 rainy days, moderate crowds.
Month by month
| Month | Avg temp | Rain days | Crowds | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12°C | 9d | mid | Chilly |
| February | 14°C | 8d | high | Mild |
| March | 17°C | 8d | high | Comfortable but damp |
| April | 21°C | 7d | high | Great weather, peak crowds |
| May | 25°C | 7d | mid | Comfortable |
| June | 28°C | 12d | low | Wet |
| July | 28°C | 15d | low | Wet |
| August | 28°C | 14d | low | Wet |
| September | 26°C | 10d | low | Comfortable but damp |
| October | 22°C | 6d | mid | Comfortable |
| November | 16°C | 7d | mid | Comfortable |
| December | 13°C | 9d | mid | Mild |
Verdicts are read off the three columns to their left — temperature distance from 21°C first, then rainfall, with crowds breaking ties. Averages, so any given week can differ.
If you'd rather go cheap than perfect
June, July, August and September are low season in New Orleans — thinner crowds, and the months where accommodation is easiest to book late. Budget travellers already work to about $55–85 a day here; low season is where the accommodation share of that goes furthest.
Book the month you picked
Fares move with the same seasons as the crowds — the quiet months above are usually the cheap ones to fly.