Best time to visit Rio de Janeiro

The best time to visit Rio de Janeiro is from April to October, when temperatures are generally pleasant, with little or no rain.

However, Rio de Janeiro is regarded as a year-round destination.

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Rio de Janeiro weather

Rio de Janeiro enjoys a tropical climate, with a relatively cool season from May to October and a hot, humid and rainy season from December to March, with November and April as intermediate months.

The city is surrounded by forested hills, which means that the summit of Mount Corcovado, at 710 m (2,329 ft) high, which features the statue of Christ the Redeemer, is about 4°C (7°F) lower than at sea level.

Summer, between December and March, is hot, wet and humid with temperatures ranging from 24°C (75°F) to 36°C (97°F). December is the wettest month.

Winter temperatures, from June to September, average a high of 26°C (78°F), but can drop to below 16°C (60°F) at night in July. August is the driest month.

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What is the best month to visit Rio de Janeiro?
April through October are the best months to visit Rio de Janeiro – you can expect warm, sunny weather, with clear blue skies and little or no rainfall.

Which is the hottest month in Rio de Janeiro?
The hottest month in Rio de Janeiro is usually February, when maximum daytime temperatures usually reach 31°C (87°F), with high heat and humidity, and a low of 24°C (75°F)

The hot season lasts from late-December to mid-March, with an average daily high temperature above 30°C (86°F).

However, on the warmest days of summer, the temperature may reach 36°C (97°F).

What is the humidity in Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro experiences little seasonal variation in perceived humidity, with approximate average relative humidity calculated at between 77% – 80% over the course of the year. Typically, it's humid for most of the year.

What do the humidity conditions feel like in Rio de Janeiro?
We derive the humidity comfort level – what conditions feel like – from the dew point temperature, which measures moisture content in the atmosphere: a higher dew point feels more humid, while a lower dew point feels drier.

Meteorologists agree that dew point temperature is a more consistant indication of 'absolute humidity' than relative humidity, which fluctuates with temperature.

The average annual dew point in Rio de Janeiro is 20°C (68°F), and varies over the course of the year from mainly comfortable at 18°C (64°F) to muggy at 24°C (75°F).

The more humid time of year in Rio de Janeiro lasts from mid-September through to mid-June, when you can expect the comfort level to be muggy on average 50% of the time.

The months with the highest humidity in Rio de Janeiro are December through March, when almost every day in each month is muggy or oppressive.

July has the least number of muggy days, with an average of 10 days that may feel humid.

Which is the coldest month in Rio de Janeiro?
The coldest month of the year in Rio de Janeiro is July, with an average high of 25°C (77°F) and a low of 19°C (66°F).

On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 16°C (60°F).

The cooler season lasts from mid-May to mid-October, with an average daily high temperature below 26°C (78°F).

Which is the sunniest month in Rio de Janeiro?
The sunniest month in Rio de Janeiro is usually February, with an average of seven hours of sunshine per day; that's on average 56% of daylight hours.

When is the sea warmest in Rio de Janeiro?
The sea is usually at its warmest in Rio de Janeiro in March when the water temperature reaches 26°C (78°F), which is warm enough for swimming.

The sea around Rio de Janeiro is warm enough for swimming from November through to June, with an average temperature above 24°C (75°F); while from July to October, it is a bit cool at around 22°C (72°F).

Which month has the most rain in Rio de Janeiro?
December is usually the wettest month in Rio de Janeiro with 135mm (5in) of rainfall on average, distributed across 11 days.

Rain falls throughout the year in Rio de Janeiro. The wetter season lasts from November through to March, with a greater than 40% chance of a given day being a wet day.

The drier season lasts from April through October. The month with the lowest rainfall days in Rio de Janeiro is July.

Which is the windiest month in Rio de Janeiro?
The windiest month of the year in Rio de Janeiro is September, with an average hourly wind speed of 13 kilometres per hour (8 mph; 7 knots).

The windy part of the year lasts from mid-July through to mid-November, with average wind speeds of more than 12 kilometres per hour (7.5 mph; 6.5 knots).

The less-windy time of year lasts from mid-November through to mid-July. The calmest month of the year in Rio de Janeiro is March, with an average hourly wind speed of 10 kilometres per hour (6 mph; 5 knots).

The predominant average hourly wind direction varies throughout the year in Rio de Janeiro.

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Rio de Janeiro Weather Averages

Holiday seasons

High season: Rio’s high season runs from mid-December to March when Carnaval (usually in February) and New Year are in full party mode, Easter and July when Brazilian schools take their winter break and in August when Europeans and North Americans take their summer break.

Shoulder season: September and October

Low season: From mid-March (after Carnaval) to May.

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Source: Meteorological data for Rio de Janeiro is based on weather statistics gathered during 1992 to 2021 by Brazil's National Institute of Meteorology from the closest weather station: Rio de Janeiro/Galeão–Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG), located 11km (7mi) north of Rio de Janeiro.

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Latest update: Best time to visit Rio de Janeiro: 17 June, 2024

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