Best time to visit New Orleans
- Best time
- Late Mar–Apr
- Avoid
- August
- Warmest month
- July · 91°F
- Wettest month
- June · 7.6 in
- Peak crowds
- Feb · Apr
New Orleans runs on a festival calendar. Carnival season builds from January to Mardi Gras, spring brings the French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest, and the long, steamy summer is the quiet season — right in the middle of hurricane season. The weather is pleasant for about half the year; the music never stops.
New Orleans month by month
Average high / low and rain are NOAA 1991–2020 normals (New Orleans Intl Ap, La Us). Crowd levels and what is open are our reading of each season, not official counts.
January
Good- High / low
- 63° / 46°F
- Rain
- 5.2 in
- Crowds
- Moderate
Carnival season begins (6 January)
Cool and sometimes damp. King cake everywhere; early parades in the second half of the month in some years.
February
Good- High / low
- 66° / 50°F
- Rain
- 4.1 in
- Crowds
- Peak
Mardi Gras (in most years)
Parade season peaks in the two weeks before Fat Tuesday — 9 February in 2027. Unforgettable and packed; book months ahead.
March
Good- High / low
- 72° / 55°F
- Rain
- 4.4 in
- Crowds
- Busy
Mardi Gras in some years
Mild and green. Mardi Gras falls in early March in years with a late Easter; St. Patrick’s and St. Joseph’s Day parades.
April
Best- High / low
- 79° / 62°F
- Rain
- 5.2 in
- Crowds
- Peak
French Quarter Fest, Jazz Fest begins
Our favourite month: warm, festivals, crawfish boils. Hotels busy on festival weekends.
May
Good- High / low
- 85° / 69°F
- Rain
- 5.6 in
- Crowds
- Busy
Jazz Fest ends early May
Getting hot and humid by the end of the month.
June
Mixed- High / low
- 90° / 75°F
- Rain
- 7.6 in
- Crowds
- Moderate
Hurricane season starts (1 June)
Heat and humidity settle in; afternoon thunderstorms.
July
Mixed- High / low
- 91° / 77°F
- Rain
- 6.8 in
- Crowds
- Busy
Essence Festival (Fourth of July weekend)
Very hot. One busy weekend for the Essence Festival of Culture, otherwise quiet.
August
Avoid- High / low
- 91° / 77°F
- Rain
- 6.9 in
- Crowds
- Quiet
Low season
Hottest and wettest; peak hurricane risk. “Satchmo SummerFest” and low hotel rates for the brave.
September
Mixed- High / low
- 88° / 74°F
- Rain
- 5.1 in
- Crowds
- Moderate
Low season
Still hot, peak of hurricane season. Saints football season begins.
October
Good- High / low
- 81° / 64°F
- Rain
- 3.7 in
- Crowds
- Busy
Festival season returns
Heat eases late in the month; Halloween in the Quarter is a big night out.
November
Best- High / low
- 71° / 54°F
- Rain
- 3.9 in
- Crowds
- Busy
Everything
Comfortable, dry, and fewer crowds than spring. Hurricane season ends on 30 November.
December
Good- High / low
- 65° / 48°F
- Rain
- 4.8 in
- Crowds
- Moderate
Christmas season
Cool, festive, “Celebration in the Oaks” lights in City Park, réveillon dinners in old restaurants.
Temperatures and rain
Seasons and events to plan around
Mardi Gras
Fat Tuesday, 47 days before Easter (9 February 2027)
Carnival season starts on Twelfth Night (6 January); the big parades roll in the two weekends before Fat Tuesday. Parade schedules are published by the city each season.
Source: Date rule: Fat Tuesday is 47 days before Easter (Easter 2027: 28 March) · checked Oct 27, 2026
French Quarter Festival
April (8–11 April in 2027)
A free festival of local music on stages across the French Quarter and the riverfront, over four days in April.
Source: French Quarter Festivals, Inc. · checked Oct 27, 2026
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Usually the last weekend of April and the first of May
Two long weekends at the Fair Grounds Race Course, from brass bands and gospel to big headliners. Tickets and hotels sell out.
Source: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival · checked Oct 27, 2026
Atlantic hurricane season
1 June to 30 November
Peak activity is from mid-August to mid-October. A storm rarely hits a given week, but if one threatens, follow local instructions.
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center · checked Oct 27, 2026
The verdict
Best month
Late Mar–Apr
Warm, mostly dry days, courtyards in bloom, crawfish season in full swing, and French Quarter Fest — free, with stages all over the Quarter. Jazz Fest follows at the end of April.
Avoid
August
The hottest, most humid month, with daily downpours, at the height of hurricane season. Prices are low for a reason.
When to visit New Orleans: your questions
What is the best month to visit New Orleans?
April: warm, mostly dry, and the month of French Quarter Fest and the start of Jazz Fest. November is the best choice in the fall.
When is Mardi Gras?
Fat Tuesday falls 47 days before Easter, so it moves each year between early February and early March. In 2027 it is on 9 February.
Is New Orleans too hot in summer?
It is very hot and humid from June to September, with afternoon storms. Plan indoor afternoons and go out in the evening, as locals do.
Should I worry about hurricanes in New Orleans?
Only from June to November, mostly August to October. Buy travel insurance that covers weather and check forecasts the week before.
Written by Kylian Dev · Last reviewed October 21, 2026. Event dates move from year to year: always confirm on the organiser’s site.