Photo: George Bannister · CC BY 2.0New Orleans is among the wettest of U.S. towns: 63 inches of precipitation a year
High summer brings afternoon highs near 90°. Winter and summer sit 47° apart. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 93% of U.S. towns. Long walks are most pleasant from February to April and October to December, when afternoons reach 64–80°.
A year in New Orleans at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about New Orleans’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with New Orleans’ place in Louisiana beside it.
What a year in New Orleans feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 309 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 10 and the first by December 17. Day counts come from NOAA’s station at New Orleans Lakefront Airport, 6 miles from the city’s center point, at about the same height; frost dates and degree days from Chalmette, LA, 8 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts New Orleans’ center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 30°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 63 inches of rain a year
July is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain falls on about 92 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Chalmette, LA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in New Orleans
29% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from January.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Chalmette, LA.
Living with New Orleans’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
309 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Feb 10 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 17.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: February, March, April, October, November and December. 83 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in New Orleans from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (73%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 8%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →New Orleans and its neighbors
Metairie the hottest July afternoons (92°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like New Orleans’, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 44° | 90° | 63" | 0.0" |
| Ferry Pass, FL | 44° | 90° | 64" | 0.0" |
| Port Arthur, TX | 44° | 91° | 61" | 0.0" |
| Atmore, AL | 39° | 92° | 64" | 0.1" |
| Magalia, CA | 38° | 92° | 61" | 0.1" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in New Orleans averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.4°).
A smaller shift than in 86% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods. In a city of 362,000 people, part of the change is the city itself: pavement and buildings hold heat (the urban heat island).
How New Orleans compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with New Orleans’ place among Louisiana’s.
New Orleans weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at New Orleans’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Chalmette, LA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 62° | 44° | 5.5" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 46° – 59° |
| February | 66° | 48° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 47° – 66° |
| March | 71° | 53° | 4.9" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 57° – 70° |
| April | 77° | 59° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| May | 84° | 67° | 5.2" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| June | 89° | 73° | 6.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 79° – 84° |
| July | 90° | 75° | 7.6" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 81° – 86° |
| August | 91° | 75° | 6.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 79° – 86° |
| September | 87° | 71° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 77° – 83° |
| October | 80° | 62° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| November | 70° | 51° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| December | 64° | 46° | 4.8" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 48° – 63° |
| Year | 78° | 60° | 63.4" | 0.0" | 92 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 47° to 66°. June is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where New Orleans’ numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at New Orleans’ center.
- Snow: Chalmette, LA.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Chalmette, LA, 8 miles away.
- Freezing nights, 90° and 100° days: New Orleans Lakefront Airport, 6 miles from the city’s center point, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about New Orleans’ climate
What is the weather like in New Orleans?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 44°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 93% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 79% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in New Orleans in winter?
January nights average 44°. About 2 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 46°.
How much snow does New Orleans get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Chalmette, LA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in New Orleans?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 75°. About 86 days a year reach 90° (Chalmette, LA).
When is the first and last frost in New Orleans?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by February 10 and the first fall frost by December 17, about 309 frost-free days, at Chalmette, LA.
What growing zone is New Orleans in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 30°.
What is the best time of year to visit New Orleans?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is New Orleans getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 86% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in New Orleans.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.