What to Wear in Rio de Janeiro
Brazil · 9 monthly packing guides
Rio runs Southern Hemisphere seasons inverted — May through August is autumn/winter with 25-26°C / 77-79°F afternoons dropping to 18-19°C / 64-66°F evenings. The carioca dress register stays beach-and-casual even in winter — Rio's beach culture defines the city year-round, with Ipanema-to-Leblon-to-Copacabana running a continuous rhythm. Havaianas (Brazil's national rubber sandal since 1962) appear on every Rio foot from Ipanema's Posto 9 to Leme's Posto 1. Lenny Niemeyer (Rio swim heritage since 1976), Adriana Degreas, Salinas, Osklen (Rio-founded 1989), Galeria Melissa, and Schutz are the local design vocabulary. Lapa nightlife (Carioca da Gema, Rio Scenarium, Sambadromo Norte) is the one Rio dress code that overrides Havaianas culture — closed-toe shoes are mandatory.
Choose your month below to match your layers and shoes to the weather. Across the months covered, average daily lows reach 18°C / 64°F in June; average highs reach 31°C / 88°F in January.
Compare Rio de Janeiro 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 | 23°C / 73°F | 31°C / 88°F | 10 | 13h 25m |
| February packing guide | 24°C / 75°F | 31°C / 88°F | 11 | 12h 52m |
| May packing guide | 19°C / 66°F | 26°C / 79°F | 6 | 11h |
| June packing guide | 18°C / 64°F | 25°C / 77°F | 5 | 10h 35m |
| July packing guide | 18°C / 64°F | 25°C / 77°F | 4 | 10h 50m |
| August packing guide | 18°C / 64°F | 25°C / 77°F | 5 | 11h 15m |
| October packing guide | 21°C / 70°F | 27°C / 81°F | 13 | 12h 35m |
| November packing guide | 21°C / 70°F | 27°C / 81°F | 11 | 13h 15m |
| December packing guide | 22°C / 72°F | 29°C / 84°F | 10 | 13h 30m |
Choose your Rio de Janeiro packing list
Rio in January: 31°C / 88°F afternoons, 23°C / 73°F nights, afternoon summer storms and the run-up to Carnaval.
In this capsule: Hot-pink bandeau bikini, tie sides; Natural straw fedora, black band; Ocean-blue hooded packable shell.
Rio in February: 31°C / 88°F afternoons, 24°C / 75°F nights, afternoon storms and Carnaval from the blocos to the Sambódromo.
In this capsule: Cobalt high-waist bikini; Lime ribbed cotton racer-back tank; White tailored cotton shorts.
Rio in May: 26°C / 79°F afternoons, 19°C / 66°F mornings, 6 rain days — Southern hemisphere autumn, beach culture continues.
In this capsule: Lightweight cotton or linen tees (3+); Cotton shorts + linen trousers; Knee-length cotton-modal dress.
Rio in June: 25°C / 77°F afternoons, 18°C / 64°F mornings, 5 rain days — Southern Hemisphere winter begins, Festa Junina lands mid-month.
In this capsule: Lightweight cotton tees (3+); Cotton shorts + linen trousers (one each); Knee-length cotton-modal dress (1-2).
Rio in July: 25°C / 77°F afternoons, 18°C / 64°F mornings, 4 rain days — Brazilian school holidays peak (férias de julho).
In this capsule: Lightweight cotton tees (3+); Cotton shorts + linen trousers; Knee-length cotton-modal dress.
Rio in August: 25°C / 77°F afternoons, 18°C / 64°F mornings, 5 rain days — Southern Hemisphere late winter, early spring transition.
In this capsule: Lightweight cotton tees (3+); Cotton shorts + linen trousers; Knee-length cotton-modal dress (1-2).
Rio in October: 27°C / 81°F afternoons, 21°C / 70°F nights, drizzle on the wind of passing fronts and a film festival indoors.
In this capsule: Sand hooded packable windbreaker; Sea-glass teal linen sleeveless shell; Rust cotton V-neck cardigan.
Rio in November: 27°C / 81°F afternoons, 21°C / 70°F nights, an unsettled late spring and two long weekends.
In this capsule: Hot-pink bandeau bikini, tie sides; Navy hooded packable rain shell; Beige long linen overshirt.
Rio in December: 29°C / 84°F afternoons, 22°C / 72°F nights, and a month that ends in white on Copacabana.
In this capsule: White sleeveless tiered fringe dress; White oversized linen shirt; Ivory wide-leg linen 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: INMET · Forte de Copacabana (A652) · 2008–2025 normalsINMET's official 1991–2020 normals for the city cover only its Alto da Boa Vista forest station, so these figures are averaged from INMET's hourly records at its automatic station at Forte de Copacabana, 17 complete Januaries. A rain day means at least 1mm. Recorded per month because the rest of this city's pages are sourced differently.
- February: NOAA NCEI · Santos Dumont Airport · 1991–2020 normalsthe airport's weather station reports the observations; figures computed from NOAA NCEI's global-summary-of-the-day record 83755099999, 29 complete Februaries. This record carries no usable rainfall totals, so a rain day is a day on which rain or drizzle was reported; that count includes drizzle and runs higher than the 1mm counts on this city's November to January pages, which read INMET's Forte de Copacabana station. Recorded per month because this city's other pages are sourced differently.
- May: INMET · monthly climate averages
- June: INMET · monthly climate averages
- July: INMET · monthly climate averages
- August: INMET · monthly climate averages
- October: NOAA NCEI · Santos Dumont Airport · 1991–2020 normalsthe airport's weather station reports the observations; figures computed from NOAA NCEI's global-summary-of-the-day record 83755099999, 29 complete Octobers. This record carries no usable rainfall totals, so a rain day is a day on which rain or drizzle was reported; that count includes drizzle and runs higher than the 1mm counts on this city's November to January pages, which read INMET's Forte de Copacabana station. Recorded per month because this city's other pages are sourced differently.
- November: INMET · Forte de Copacabana (A652) · 2007–2025 normalsINMET's official 1991–2020 normals for the city cover only its Alto da Boa Vista forest station, so these figures are averaged from INMET's hourly records at its automatic station at Forte de Copacabana, 19 complete Novembers. A rain day means at least 1mm. Recorded per month because the rest of this city's pages are sourced differently.
- December: INMET · Forte de Copacabana (A652) · 2007–2024 normalsINMET's official 1991–2020 normals for the city cover only its Alto da Boa Vista forest station, so these figures are averaged from INMET's hourly records at its automatic station at Forte de Copacabana, 18 complete Decembers. A rain day means at least 1mm. Recorded per month because the rest of this city's pages are sourced differently.
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, June has the lowest average low at 18°C / 64°F, while January has the highest average high at 31°C / 88°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.