Cusco records about 723mm of rain across roughly 118 wet days a year, which is a 32% chance on an average day. January is the wettest month at 160mm (22% of the annual total) and June the driest at 2mm. Local rain type: brief showers. Essential from November through March — Cusco's rainy season brings daily afternoon downpours. Dry season (April-October) is reliably sunny but cold at night.
Chance of rain on an average day: 32%
Rainfall climatology for Cusco. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Annual rainfall | 723mm |
| Rain days per year | 118 |
| Odds on an average day | 32% |
| Wettest month | January — 160mm over 25 days |
| Driest month | June — 2mm over 1 days |
| Rain type | brief showers |
| Best dry window | May through September is dry season with clear skies — essential for Machu Picchu treks. |
| Worst rain window | January and February bring heavy rain that can close the Inca Trail and make roads muddy. |
January delivers 7900% more rain than June (160mm vs 2mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
22% of the year's rain falls in January alone, so Cusco has a genuine wet season rather than evenly spread showers.
Cusco rain typically comes as discrete showers, so a compact umbrella and a flexible plan are usually enough.
Rain falls on about 25 days in January against 1 in June — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.
Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.
| Month | Rainfall | Rain days | Chance on a given day | Highs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 160mm | 25 | 83% | 19°C |
| February | 130mm | 21 | 70% | 19°C |
| March | 107mm | 17 | 57% | 19°C |
| April | 43mm | 7 | 23% | 19°C |
| May | 9mm | 1 | 3% | 20°C |
| June | 2mm | 1 | 3% | 20°C |
| July | 4mm | 1 | 3% | 20°C |
| August | 8mm | 1 | 3% | 20°C |
| September | 22mm | 3 | 10% | 20°C |
| October | 55mm | 9 | 30% | 20°C |
| November | 80mm | 13 | 43% | 19°C |
| December | 122mm | 19 | 63% | 19°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Cusco we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly probability | 40% | Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours. |
| Expected volume | 30% | Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking. |
| Timing & duration | 20% | When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window. |
| Local rain type | 10% | Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear. |
Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.
Cusco records rain on roughly 118 days a year — about a 32% chance on any given day — totalling around 723mm.
January, with about 160mm over 25 rain days. That is 22% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
June is the driest month at 2mm across roughly 1 days. May through September is dry season with clear skies — essential for Machu Picchu treks.
Essential from November through March — Cusco's rainy season brings daily afternoon downpours. Dry season (April-October) is reliably sunny but cold at night.
No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.