New Orleans records about 1575mm of rain across roughly 115 wet days a year, which is a 32% chance on an average day. June is the wettest month at 175mm (11% of the annual total) and October the driest at 82mm. Local rain type: thunderstorms. New Orleans is extremely wet — summer afternoon storms are nearly guaranteed. Always carry rain gear and check hurricane forecasts from June through November.
Chance of rain on an average day: 32%
Rainfall climatology for New Orleans. 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 | 1575mm |
| Rain days per year | 115 |
| Odds on an average day | 32% |
| Wettest month | June — 175mm over 13 days |
| Driest month | October — 82mm over 6 days |
| Rain type | thunderstorms |
| Best dry window | October and November offer the driest weather with comfortable temperatures. |
| Worst rain window | June through August brings daily afternoon thunderstorms and oppressive humidity. |
June delivers 113% more rain than October (175mm vs 82mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 11% of the annual total, so rain in New Orleans is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
New Orleans rain arrives in short, heavy bursts — shelter and timing matter more than gear.
Rain falls on about 13 days in June against 6 in October — 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 | 137mm | 10 | 33% | 16°C |
| February | 116mm | 9 | 30% | 16°C |
| March | 121mm | 9 | 30% | 18°C |
| April | 114mm | 8 | 27% | 22°C |
| May | 116mm | 9 | 30% | 27°C |
| June | 175mm | 13 | 43% | 31°C |
| July | 170mm | 13 | 43% | 33°C |
| August | 165mm | 12 | 40% | 33°C |
| September | 130mm | 10 | 33% | 31°C |
| October | 82mm | 6 | 20% | 27°C |
| November | 102mm | 8 | 27% | 22°C |
| December | 126mm | 9 | 30% | 18°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For New Orleans 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.
New Orleans records rain on roughly 115 days a year — about a 32% chance on any given day — totalling around 1575mm.
June, with about 175mm over 13 rain days. That is 11% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
October is the driest month at 82mm across roughly 6 days. October and November offer the driest weather with comfortable temperatures.
New Orleans is extremely wet — summer afternoon storms are nearly guaranteed. Always carry rain gear and check hurricane forecasts from June through November.
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.