What to Wear in New Orleans
USA · 9 monthly packing guides
New Orleans dresses for heat, humidity, and festivals. Jazz Fest weekends in late April–early May are a city-wide dress code of cotton and linen; the French Quarter in summer is bright colors, sundresses, and shoes you can walk on Bourbon Street in. The climate punishes synthetics on the body but rewards quick-dry nylon for bags and rain jackets. Afternoon thunderstorms are frequent June–August; packable rain gear earns its weight.
Choose your month below to match your layers and shoes to the weather. Across the months covered, average daily lows reach 8°C / 46°F in January; average highs reach 33°C / 91°F in July.
Compare New Orleans by month
Monthly averages help compare packing needs; check the forecast before departure. Only months with published guides are listed. See the source notes below for station and measurement differences. Scroll across the table to see all weather details on a small screen.
| Month | Average low | Average high | Rain days | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January packing guide | 8°C / 46°F | 17°C / 63°F | 10 | 10h 25m |
| February packing guide | 10°C / 50°F | 19°C / 66°F | 9 | 11h 05m |
| May packing guide | 22°C / 72°F | 30°C / 86°F | 9 | 13h 30m |
| June packing guide | 25°C / 77°F | 32°C / 90°F | 11 | 14h |
| July packing guide | 26°C / 79°F | 33°C / 91°F | 14 | 13h 45m |
| August packing guide | 26°C / 79°F | 33°C / 91°F | 16 | 13h 15m |
| October packing guide | 18°C / 64°F | 27°C / 81°F | 7 | 11h 25m |
| November packing guide | 12°C / 54°F | 22°C / 72°F | 7 | 10h 40m |
| December packing guide | 9°C / 48°F | 18°C / 64°F | 9 | 10h 15m |
Choose your New Orleans packing list
New Orleans in January: 17°C / 63°F afternoons, 8°C / 46°F nights, about 10 rain days, and Carnival from Twelfth Night, 6 January.
In this capsule: Dark plum oversized check shacket; Old-gold cable-knit wool crew; Muted green hooded rain shell.
New Orleans in February: 19°C / 66°F afternoons, 10°C / 50°F nights, about 9 rain days, and Carnival's last week before Ash Wednesday on the 10th.
In this capsule: Dark indigo denim trucker jacket, flap chest pockets; Ecru fleece crew-neck sweatshirt; Plain ecru long-sleeve crew tee.
New Orleans in May: 30°C / 86°F afternoons, 22°C / 72°F mornings, 70% humidity, 9 rain days — Jazz Fest anchors the month.
In this capsule: Flowy linen or cotton sundress; Linen shirt + tank combo for day; Denim or linen shorts.
New Orleans in June: 32°C / 90°F afternoons, 25°C / 77°F mornings, 71% humidity, 11 rain days — hurricane season officially starts June 1.
In this capsule: Loose cotton-blend sundress; Linen shirt + ribbed tank combo; Black wide-leg trousers + linen shorts.
New Orleans in July: 33°C / 91°F afternoons, 26°C / 79°F mornings, 73% humidity, 14 rain days — Essence Festival hits first weekend.
In this capsule: Long loose maxi dress (multiple); Light grey cropped ribbed tank (multiple colors); Tailored linen shorts + flowing skirt.
New Orleans in August: 33°C / 91°F afternoons, 26°C / 79°F mornings, 72% humidity, 16 rain days — peak Cape Verde hurricane season.
In this capsule: Cream button-side mini dress; Cream linen kaftan midi; Ivory floral cotton-modal dress.
New Orleans in October: 27°C / 81°F afternoons, 18°C / 64°F nights, 7 rain days — the driest month of the year and the first comfortable one since April.
In this capsule: Oversized white linen button-down; Warm sand pleated wide-leg trousers, cropped above the ankle; Ecru cotton-poplin midi dress, loose through the body.
New Orleans in November: 22°C / 72°F afternoons, 12°C / 54°F nights, the humidity gone and hurricane season ending on the 30th.
In this capsule: Light-wash denim trucker jacket; Cream mid-weight cotton crew knit; Blue-and-white fine-stripe cotton shirt.
New Orleans in December: 18°C / 64°F afternoons, 9°C / 48°F nights, about 9 rain days, and a month of evenings spent outdoors on purpose.
In this capsule: Red, green and navy tartan blazer, velvet collar, patch pockets; Olive-green silk camisole; High-waisted cream straight trousers.
Climate sources by month
These credits follow the source recorded on each monthly guide. Climate figures inform the packing advice; outfit combinations and illustrations are editorial suggestions.
- January: NOAA · Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) · 1991–2020 normals
- February: NOAA · Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) · 1991–2020 normals
- May: NOAA · Lakefront Airport · 1991–2020 normals
- June: NOAA · Lakefront Airport · 1991–2020 normals
- July: NOAA · Lakefront Airport · 1991–2020 normals
- August: NOAA · Lakefront Airport · 1991–2020 normals
- October: NOAA · Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) · 1991–2020 normals
- November: NOAA · Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) · 1991–2020 normals
- December: NOAA · Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) · 1991–2020 normals
Frequently asked questions
Start with your travel month. The 9 published guides cover January, February, May, June, July, August, October, November, December. Compare the average low as well as the high: among these months, January has the lowest average low at 8°C / 46°F, while July has the highest average high at 33°C / 91°F. For a trip spanning two months, read both lists before deciding which layers to bring.
No. They are monthly climate averages for planning, not temperatures promised for a particular day or hour. Check the local forecast close to departure and adjust your layers and rain protection. The source, station and averaging period are listed for each month where recorded; different stations or rain-day definitions can affect comparisons.
No. Treat the capsule as a set of clothing functions: walking shoes, a base outfit, weather protection and any change for dinner or a venue's dress code. Start with equivalents you own. Adjust quantities to your trip length and laundry access; the illustrations are outfit suggestions, not a shopping requirement.