Summer
Dec → Feb29 to 30°
nights 22 to 24°
- 15 rainy days · 149 mm
- 10.3 h of sun
- sea 26°
When is the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro?
- Jan30°fair
- Feb30°not recommended
- Mar29°fair
- Apr27°recommended
- May26°recommended
- Jun25°fair
- Jul25°not recommended
- Aug25°fair
- Sep26°recommended
- Oct27°recommended
- Nov27°recommended
- Dec29°recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Rio de Janeiro, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 24° | 10.5 h | 161 mm | 15 d | 26° | |
| February | 30° | 24° | 10.1 h | 149 mm | 15 d | 27° | |
| March | 29° | 23° | 10.4 h | 152 mm | 15 d | 27° | |
| April | 27° | 22° | 10.1 h | 81 mm | 12 d | 25° | ✓ |
| May | 26° | 20° | 9.2 h | 64 mm | 10 d | 24° | ✓ |
| June | 25° | 19° | 9 h | 42 mm | 9 d | 23° | |
| July | 25° | 18° | 9 h | 40 mm | 7 d | 22° | |
| August | 25° | 18° | 9 h | 63 mm | 10 d | 22° | |
| September | 26° | 19° | 9.6 h | 71 mm | 9 d | 23° | ✓ |
| October | 27° | 21° | 9.1 h | 88 mm | 15 d | 23° | ✓ |
| November | 27° | 21° | 9.6 h | 146 mm | 16 d | 23° | ✓ |
| December | 29° | 22° | 10.4 h | 137 mm | 16 d | 24° | ✓ |
The four seasons in Rio de Janeiro, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Copacabana) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Autumn
Mar → May26 to 29°
nights 20 to 23°
- 12 rainy days · 99 mm
- 9.9 h of sun
- sea 25°
Winter
Jun → Aug25°
nights 18 to 19°
- 9 rainy days · 48 mm
- 9 h of sun
- sea 22°
Spring
Sep → Nov26 to 27°
nights 19 to 21°
- 13 rainy days · 102 mm
- 9.4 h of sun
- sea 23°
Book early for April to May and September to December
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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What to do in Rio de Janeiro, month by month
EventsCarnivalFebruary to MarchRock in RioSeptemberNew Year's Eve in CopacabanaDecemberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Beach & swimming: good conditions all twelve months.
- Sightseeing & walks: April, May, June, July, August, September
- Diving & snorkelling: January, February, March, April
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Rio de Janeiro, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- February to MarchCarnival big crowds
The samba schools parade in the Sambadrome and hundreds of blocos take over the streets, in the days leading up to Shrove Tuesday.
- SeptemberRock in Rio
The festival returns every other year, in September, at the Cidade do Rock site in Barra da Tijuca.
- DecemberNew Year's Eve in Copacabana big crowds
A crowd dressed in white gathers on the sand at Copacabana for the fireworks on the last night of the year.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Fair30°24° at night
- 161 mm · 15 d
- 10.5 h
- sea 26°
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended30°24° at night
- 149 mm · 15 d
- 10.1 h
- sea 27°
Busy, without the crush
March
Fair29°23° at night
- 152 mm · 15 d
- 10.4 h
- sea 27°
Busy, without the crush
April
Recommended27°22° at night
- 81 mm · 12 d
- 10.1 h
- sea 25°
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended26°20° at night
- 64 mm · 10 d
- 9.2 h
- sea 24°
Busy, without the crush
June
Fair25°19° at night
- 42 mm · 9 d
- 9 h
- sea 23°
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended25°18° at night
- 40 mm · 7 d
- 9 h
- sea 22°
Low season, lower prices
August
Fair25°18° at night
- 63 mm · 10 d
- 9 h
- sea 22°
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended26°19° at night
- 71 mm · 9 d
- 9.6 h
- sea 23°
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended27°21° at night
- 88 mm · 15 d
- 9.1 h
- sea 23°
Busy, without the crush
November
Recommended27°21° at night
- 146 mm · 16 d
- 9.6 h
- sea 23°
Busy, without the crush
December
Recommended29°22° at night
- 137 mm · 16 d
- 10.4 h
- sea 24°
High season, book early
Read the twelve months in detail
January. 30 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Frequent rain: 161 mm over 15 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.5 h a day on average. The sea is at 26 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. 30 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. A very wet month, 149 mm of rain over 15 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.1 h a day on average. The sea is at 27 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
March. 29 °C in the afternoon and 23 °C at night. Frequent rain: 152 mm over 15 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.4 h a day on average. The sea is at 27 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
April. 27 °C in the afternoon and 22 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (81 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.1 h a day on average. The sea is at 25 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
May. 26 °C in the afternoon and 20 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (64 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.2 h a day on average. The sea is at 24 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
June. 25 °C in the afternoon and 19 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (42 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9 h a day on average. The sea is at 23 °C: pleasant swimming. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. 25 °C in the afternoon and 18 °C at night. Rain stays light: 40 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9 h a day on average. The sea is at 22 °C: pleasant swimming. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. 25 °C in the afternoon and 18 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (63 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9 h a day on average. The sea is at 22 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
September. 26 °C in the afternoon and 19 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (71 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.6 h a day on average. The sea is at 23 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
October. 27 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. Frequent rain: 88 mm over 15 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.1 h a day on average. The sea is at 23 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
November. 27 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. Frequent rain: 146 mm over 16 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.6 h a day on average. The sea is at 23 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
December. 29 °C in the afternoon and 22 °C at night. Frequent rain: 137 mm over 16 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.4 h a day on average. The sea is at 24 °C: pleasant swimming. High season: book early.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro?
April to May and September to December: over these months, recorded highs range from 26 to 29 °C, with 13 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Copacabana).
Which month should you avoid in Rio de Janeiro?
February: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 149 mm over 15 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Copacabana).
What is the hottest month in Rio de Janeiro?
January, with 30 °C on average in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Copacabana).
What is the coldest month in Rio de Janeiro?
June, with 25 °C at best during the day and 19 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Copacabana).
What is the driest month in Rio de Janeiro?
July: 40 mm over 7 days of rain, against 161 mm in January, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Rio de Janeiro?
January, with 10.5 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in Rio de Janeiro?
The water never drops below 22 °C: from 22 to 27 °C depending on the month (warmest in February), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Christ the Redeemer (Corcovado)).
When to go diving or snorkelling in Rio de Janeiro?
January, February, March, April: the sea is above 25 °C, warm enough to stay in a long time without a thick wetsuit. 2023-2024 records on the nearest coast (Christ the Redeemer (Corcovado)).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Rio de Janeiro guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Brazil: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Renan Bomtempo / Pexels · Louis / Pexels · Cesar G / Pexels · Donatas Dabravolskas / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)