Travel guide
Rio de Janeiro weather by month
Rio de Janeiro is warm all year. Summer, December to March, is hot and wet, with average highs of 28.6-30.2 °C. Winter, June to August, is milder and drier: highs around 25 °C and lows of 18-19 °C (INMET long-term averages).
Updated:
At a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Climate | warm all year; seasons are reversed compared with the northern hemisphere |
| Summer (Dec-Mar) | average highs 28.6-30.2 °C, lows 22.4-23.5 °C, rainy season |
| Winter (Jun-Aug) | highs about 25 °C, lows 18-19 °C, the driest months |
| Rainy season | November to April (Alerta Rio); November to March (UK FCDO) |
| Wettest and driest month | January 169.2 mm, August 56.3 mm (Alerta Rio, 1997-2024) |
| Big dates | New Year’s Eve on 31 December; Carnival Special Group nights 7, 8 and 9 February 2027 |
| Planning a trip with us | price on request, proposal within 24 hours |
Rio de Janeiro weather by month
| Month | Avg high, °C | Avg low, °C | Rain, mm | What is on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29.4 | 23.3 | 114.1 | 1 January public holiday; samba school rehearsals at the Sambadrome on 23, 24, 30 and 31 January 2027 |
| February | 30.2 | 23.5 | 105.3 | Carnival: Special Group parades on 7, 8 and 9 February 2027 |
| March | 29.4 | 23.3 | 103.3 | Still hot, still the rainy season |
| April | 27.8 | 21.9 | 137.4 | The month with the most extreme downpours |
| May | 26.4 | 20.4 | 85.6 | Moving into the dry season |
| June | 25.2 | 18.7 | 80.4 | Start of winter |
| July | 25.3 | 18.4 | 56.4 | The coolest nights of the year |
| August | 25.6 | 18.9 | 50.5 | The driest month |
| September | 25.0 | 19.2 | 87.1 | Spring, a transition month |
| October | 26.0 | 20.2 | 88.2 | Some very hot days |
| November | 27.4 | 21.4 | 95.6 | The rainy season begins |
| December | 28.6 | 22.4 | 169.0 | Wettest month in this table; New Year’s Eve on Copacabana on 31 December |
The temperatures and rainfall in the table are INMET’s long-term averages for 1961-1990 at the Rio de Janeiro station, published by the World Meteorological Organization. “High” is the average daily maximum and “low” the average minimum, so a given day can be a lot hotter or cooler.
Alerta Rio, the city’s weather service inside GEO-Rio, has newer data from 33 rain gauges for 1997-2024. The pattern holds: January gets the most rain (169.2 mm on average), August the least (56.3 mm). Rain falls hardest on the high ground, above all around the Tijuca massif, where summer totals go above 600 mm.
Summer, December to March: heat, storms and the big holidays
Average highs are 28.6-30.2 °C and lows 22.4-23.5 °C, with February the hottest month in the table. This is the season most visitors come for: beaches, New Year’s Eve and Carnival.
New Year’s Eve is celebrated on Copacabana beach on the night of 31 December. How the night works and how we plan it: New Year’s Eve in Rio.
Carnival follows. LIESA has set the Special Group parade nights at the Sambadrome for 7, 8 and 9 February 2027, and the samba schools hold technical rehearsals there on 23, 24, 30 and 31 January 2027 (samba school rehearsals). Tickets and sectors are on our Rio Carnival page.
Summer is also the rainy season. A heavy storm can wipe out a beach day or a trip up Corcovado, so we keep a spare day in the plan for weather-sensitive outings.
Winter, June to August: dry and mild
Highs are around 25 °C and lows 18-19 °C. Alerta Rio data show these as the driest months, which makes winter a good time for walking the city, viewpoints and day trips from Rio: the heat is easier and rain less frequent.
Evenings are cool. Alerta Rio stations have recorded nights below 10 °C in June and July, and not every day is a beach day. Bring a light jacket.
Shoulder months: April-May and September-November
In April and May highs are 26-28 °C and the holiday crowds have gone. April is still in the rainy season, and Alerta Rio notes it has more extreme rain events than any other month. May gets drier.
September to November is spring: highs of 25-27 °C, rain slowly coming back, and the rainy season starting in November. Expect some heat too. Alerta Rio stations recorded their highest temperatures, above 43 °C, in October and November.
The rainy season: storms, floods and landslides
Alerta Rio counts November to April as the rainy season, months that average more than 100 mm. The UK FCDO gives November to March for the south and south-east of Brazil and says flash floods and landslides are common where mountains meet the coast, as in Rio, and that heavy rain also happens outside the season.
FCDO advice for heavy rain:
- Follow local news and warnings from the authorities.
- Avoid travelling on the road during heavy rain.
- Do not cross fast-flowing water, however shallow it looks.
More official advice is on our page about safety tips for Rio.
Sun
The FCDO lists high UV levels among health risks in Brazil. For the beach, take high-factor sunscreen, a hat and water, and spend the middle of the day in the shade.
When to go
There is no single best month. Each season has a trade-off.
| What matters to you | When to go | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Beach and heat | December to March | storms, heat, high demand for rooms |
| New Year’s Eve or Carnival | 31 December; 7-9 February 2027 | hotels fill early, book accommodation well ahead |
| Walks and day trips in dry weather | June to August | cool evenings, fewer beach days |
| Warm weather without the holiday peak | April-May, September-November | heavy rain in April, very hot days in October-November |
For a month-by-month view across the country, see the best time to visit Brazil. Other regions have other seasons: the FCDO puts the north-east rainy season at April to July, so for a multi-region trip we check each stop.
What to tell us in your request
- Your travel dates, or the months you are considering
- How many people, and ages of any children
- What you want most: beach, Carnival, New Year’s Eve, walks, day trips
- Whether your dates are fixed or flexible
- Other places in Brazil on your route
How we plan around the weather
We set the plan by the forecast: Corcovado and viewpoints on a clear morning, the beach and boat days on dry days, museums and the city centre when rain is forecast. A private tour or a private driver makes it easy to swap days. If weather cancels a tour, we give you a new date or a full deposit refund. To build the whole trip, start with our Rio itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
What is the weather like in Rio in January?
Hot and in the rainy season. INMET long-term averages give a January high of 29.4 °C and a low of 23.3 °C. The city's Alerta Rio network records January as the wettest month of the year, with 169.2 mm on average.
When is the rainy season in Rio de Janeiro?
Alerta Rio, the city's weather service, defines it as November to April, the months that average more than 100 mm of rain. The UK FCDO gives November to March for the south and south-east of Brazil.
What is the best month to visit Rio?
It depends on the trip. December to March is for beaches, New Year's Eve and Carnival, with heat and storms. June to August is dry and mild. April-May and September-November are warm without the holiday peak.
Is Rio cold in winter?
No. From June to August average highs stay around 25 °C and lows around 18-19 °C. Alerta Rio stations have recorded nights below 10 °C in June and July, so pack a light jacket for evenings.
What happens to my tour if it rains hard?
If weather cancels a tour, we move it to a new date or refund the deposit in full. On multi-day plans we keep a spare day for this.
See also
- Best time to visit BrazilThere is no single best time to visit Brazil: it depends on the region. Rio and the south-east are wettest from November to March, the north-east coast from April to July, and the Pantanal and the centre are dry from May to September. December to February brings beaches, New Year and Carnival; June to August is dry and mild in Rio.
- Rio de Janeiro safety tips for touristsThe US State Department rates Brazil Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution (31.08.2026), Canada asks travellers to exercise a high degree of caution (14.10.2026), and the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel only to rivers in western Amazonas state (29.09.2026). Below is what these governments advise for Rio, plus the emergency numbers 190, 192 and 193.
- Rio de Janeiro itinerary: 3, 5 and 7 daysThree days in Rio de Janeiro covers the essentials: Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Santa Teresa and Lapa, the beaches and the centre. Five days adds a day trip and a spare day in case clouds hide the views, and seven days lets you slow down. We turn any of these plans into a private trip for your dates.
- Rio Carnival 2027 for groups and travel agenciesThe Special Group (Grupo Especial) samba schools parade at the Sambadrome (Sambódromo) on February 7, 8 and 9, 2027, the Série Ouro on February 5 and 6, and the Champions Parade is on February 13. We book every night and every seat type for groups and travel agencies, with transfers and a guide, and send a priced proposal within 24 hours.
- New Year's Eve in Rio de Janeiro 2026/27 for groupsRio's New Year's Eve party on Copacabana beach falls on Thursday, December 31, 2026. The city has not yet published the 2026/27 program; last time it counted 2.6 million people on Copacabana and closed the neighborhood to charter buses for the whole day. For groups, we plan the hotel, the place to celebrate and the way in and out around those closures.
Sources
- WMO World Weather Information Service: Rio de Janeiro climate normals (INMET, 1961-1990), checked 21.10.2026
- Sistema Alerta Rio (GEO-Rio, Prefeitura do Rio): Relatório de Climatologia Anual, 1997-2024, checked 21.10.2026
- GOV.UK (FCDO): Brazil, safety and security (rainy season, floods and landslides), checked 21.10.2026
- GOV.UK (FCDO): Brazil, health (UV levels), checked 21.10.2026
- LIESA: horário dos desfiles, Carnaval 2027, checked 21.10.2026
- Carnaval.Rio: calendar of the 2027 technical rehearsals at the Sambadrome, checked 21.10.2026