Rio de Janeiro is at its most pleasant from mid May to early September, and again from late October to mid November. For sun, aim for late March to early May.
When to go five ratings · thirty-six ten-day sections · click a cell to read it
The sun season here runs from late March to early May, with a second spell from late November to early December. It peaks in mid April, at 64. The weakest stretch is in early and mid July, when it drops to 35, mostly because it is too cool. The clearest skies come in July, when the sky is typically 46% covered at midday (partly cloudy).
For being outside, go from mid May to early September, with a second spell from late October to mid November. It peaks in early August, at 72. Avoid January for this: it falls to 13, mostly because it is too hot.
Rio de Janeiro never quite rates Good for walking. It comes closest in early July, at 46, mostly because it is too warm. The weakest stretch is from mid December to early April, when it drops to 4, mostly because it is too warm.
The year, measured
The average temperature in Rio de Janeiro over the whole year is 23°C. January is the hottest month, with highs of about 29°C; July is the coldest, with lows of about 17°C. The rainy (wet) season in Rio de Janeiro runs from January to March, peaking in January with a 62% chance of rain on a given day. The dry season is April to October; May is the driest month, at 34%. Winds in Rio de Janeiro are highest in October, averaging 2.7 m/s (10 km/h), and lightest in April, at 2.1 m/s (8 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SE. The clearest skies in Rio de Janeiro come in July, when the sky is typically 50% covered; October is the cloudiest month, at 72%.
Month by month Rio de Janeiro climate by month: average temperatures year round · click a month to read it
| Month | High | Low | Feels like | Chance of rain | Cloud | Wind | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29°C | 24°C | 32°C | 62% | 62% | 2.2 m/s | 14 | 44 | 4 |
| February | 29°C | 23°C | 32°C | 54% | 60% | 2.4 m/s | 17 | 50 | 5 |
| March | 28°C | 23°C | 31°C | 49% | 56% | 2.2 m/s | 19 | 53 | 6 |
| April | 27°C | 21°C | 29°C | 36% | 55% | 2.1 m/s | 35 | 63 | 12 |
| May | 25°C | 19°C | 26°C | 34% | 53% | 2.1 m/s | 56 | 57 | 23 |
| June | 24°C | 19°C | 25°C | 34% | 53% | 2.1 m/s | 65 | 51 | 31 |
| July | 23°C | 17°C | 23°C | 39% | 50% | 2.3 m/s | 71 | 40 | 41 |
| August | 23°C | 18°C | 23°C | 42% | 56% | 2.5 m/s | 71 | 37 | 43 |
| September | 25°C | 20°C | 26°C | 46% | 59% | 2.6 m/s | 60 | 48 | 30 |
| October | 26°C | 21°C | 27°C | 43% | 72% | 2.7 m/s | 54 | 50 | 23 |
| November | 26°C | 22°C | 27°C | 49% | 70% | 2.7 m/s | 52 | 51 | 22 |
| December | 28°C | 23°C | 30°C | 46% | 64% | 2.3 m/s | 31 | 54 | 10 |
High and low are the warmest and coolest of four readings a day — midnight, 6am, noon and 6pm — so a true overnight low can sit a degree or two under them. Chance of rain, cloud and wind are the day’s average; feels-like and the three ratings (each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80) are read at midday.
Seasons, and the year in short Rio de Janeiro weather by season
Year round, Rio de Janeiro has days of about 23°C at their warmest in August, its coolest month, and 29°C in January, its warmest; the coolest hours of the day run from 17°C to 24°C through the year, and the average temperature over the year is 23°C around the clock. Rain is most likely around January and least likely around May. Every figure here is a decade of observations blended into one representative year, so it reads as what this date is usually like, not a forecast for one particular day.
Rio de Janeiro weather in winterJune to August
Winter in Rio de Janeiro has typical daily highs of about 24°C and lows of about 18°C, with a 38% chance of rain on a given day.
Rio de Janeiro weather in springSeptember to November
Spring in Rio de Janeiro has typical daily highs of about 25°C and lows of about 21°C, with a 46% chance of rain on a given day.
Rio de Janeiro weather in summerDecember to February
Summer in Rio de Janeiro has typical daily highs of about 29°C and lows of about 24°C, with a 54% chance of rain on a given day.
Rio de Janeiro weather in autumnMarch to May
Autumn in Rio de Janeiro has typical daily highs of about 27°C and lows of about 21°C, with a 39% chance of rain on a given day.
When is the rainy season in Rio de Janeiro?
The rainy (wet) season in Rio de Janeiro runs from January to March, peaking in January with a 62% chance of rain on a given day. The dry season is April to October; May is the driest month, at 34%.
What time of year is Rio de Janeiro windiest?
Winds in Rio de Janeiro are highest in October, averaging 2.7 m/s (10 km/h), and lightest in April, at 2.1 m/s (8 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SE.
What is the average temperature in Rio de Janeiro year round?
The average temperature in Rio de Janeiro over the whole year is 23°C. January is the hottest month, with highs of about 29°C; July is the coldest, with lows of about 17°C.
Where to go instead in late January, the weakest time here for being outside
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, in ten-day sections. The ratings, the chart and the feels-like column are read at midday local solar time. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors, each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80. They describe what a time of year is usually like here, not a forecast. The dotted links open the map at that time of year; set its time of day to midday to see these numbers.