Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

New Orleans, Louisiana Weather

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon. Day 14 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

New Orleans weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

New Orleans, LA
Saturday, July 4 at 11:40 AM
87
°
Clear
Feels like
100°
Humidity
69%
Wind
6 mph
Sunrise
1:03 AM
Sunset
3:04 PM
New Orleans, LA
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastNew Orleans, LA: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 78 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 78°H 92°
New Orleans, LA
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Overcast
    —
    —
    92°79°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Heavy Drizzle
    22%
    0.04″
    90°76°-2°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Thunderstorm
    49%
    —
    91°76°+1°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Thunderstorm
    49%
    —
    93°78°+2°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Light Drizzle
    22%
    —
    94°78°+1°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Light Drizzle
    19%
    —
    95°78°+1°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Partly Cloudy
    14%
    —
    94°78°-1°
New Orleans, LA
Next 24 hours · Warm now
HOT 90°74°85°96°6a12p6p12anow 87°high 92°low 78°PRECIP %
New Orleans, LA
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NNW
328° · backing 100°
Direction
NNW
328°
Sustained
6
mph
Gust
7
mph
Peak 24h
10
avg 5
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 5 · pk 10 @ 5:00p
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 188SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
New Orleans, LA
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1017.4
+0.3 mb in 3h · steady · 30.04 inHg
Now
1017.4
mb
3h
+0.3
mb
12h
+0.1
mb
24h
-1.2
mb
Regime · FAIR
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1015–1018
1010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1018.31015.41017.1
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Fair, steady air — a quiet anticyclone holds the sky.
New Orleans, LA
Air quality
42
AQI
Good
→0 in 6h▲Peak ~103 @ 11 PM

AQI 42 (Good), driven by Ozone. Ozone at AQI 63 now. With UV 8.3 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 70 around 1 PM.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5Good
11.5μg/m³
PM 10Good
15μg/m³
NO₂Good
5μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERUnhealthy SG
115μg/m³
UV IndexVery high
7.2

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 63 now. With UV 8.3 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 70 around 1 PM.

Present
AQI 63
UV peak
8.3 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
clear
Projected peak
AQI 70

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 11.5 µg/m³ (AQI 55) with a 0.79 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.79
Wind
light
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
stagnant smoke

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SATSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
New Orleans, LA
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
7%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
54.4mi
UNLIMITED
93 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
16:40 UTC · New Orleans, LA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
16:40 UTC · New Orleans, LA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
New Orleans, LA
Satellite · infrared · animated
New Orleans, LA
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
New Orleans, LA
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:37 AM
Sunrise
1:03 AM
Daylight
14h 01m
Sunset
3:04 PM
Civil dusk
8:33 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
New Orleans, LA
The moon
Waning Gibbous
80% illuminated
Moonrise
10:42 PM
Moonset
10:15 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
New Orleans, LA
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

bird
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

New Orleans at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 5°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: February 15 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP codes: 70112, 70113, 70114, 70115, 70116, 70117, 70118, 70119 +14 more

16-Day Forecast — New Orleans

  1. Sat93°79°7%
  2. Sun90°76°22%
  3. Mon91°76°49%
  4. Tue93°78°49%
  5. Wed94°78°22%
  6. Thu95°78°19%
  7. Fri94°78°14%
  8. Sat92°78°21%
  9. Sun94°76°32%
  10. Mon94°77°23%
  11. Tue93°74°18%
  12. Wed88°75°26%
  13. Thu79°74°42%
  14. Fri81°72°48%
  15. Sat90°75°32%
  16. Sun92°78°32%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near New Orleans

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 4, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — New Orleans

SPC includes New Orleans in the general thunderstorm area today — no severe risk, but storms are possible.

  • TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

January 1–5: Frost quiets the live oaks.January 6–10: Still water thickens with ice.January 11–15: Springs begin to move beneath ice.January 16–20: Cardinal dawn calls grow bolder.January 21–25: Late January thaw pulses.January 26–31: Last freeze locks the land.February 1–5: February's lengthening light.February 6–10: Warming winds thaw the margin.February 11–15: Magnolia blooms break the gray.February 16–20: Mockingbirds resume the dawn chorus.February 21–25: Rain replaces the last snow.February 26–28: Mist clings to greening valleys.March 1–5: The green pulse awakens.March 6–10: Hibernators emerge to call.March 11–15: Dogwood and redbud ignite.March 16–20: Swallowtails emerge from winter silk.March 21–25: Light crowns the dogwood canopy.March 26–31: Redbud cascades over the thaw.April 1–5: Thunder announces the wet season.April 6–10: Barn swallows carve the warming sky.April 11–15: Magnolia blooms and falls in a breath.April 16–20: First rainbows arch over thunderheads.April 21–25: Reeds push through marsh water.April 26–30: Frost retreats; seedlings rise free.May 1–5: Warblers flood the canopy in waves.May 6–10: Tulip poplar lights the forest crown.May 11–15: Shad pulse upstream through rapids.May 16–20: Roses open on the Piedmont edge.May 21–25: Fireflies scout the humid dusk.May 26–31: Frog choruses rise from every wetland.June 1–5: Fireflies pulse through the magnolias.June 6–10: Kudzu climbs deeper into green.June 11–15: Sun climbs to its northern throne.June 16–20: Heat settles and the rain begins.June 21–25: The longest day turns toward shadow.June 26–30: Fireflies drift through Spanish moss.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon.July 6–10: Thunderheads boil and break at dusk.July 11–15: Thunder builds each drowsy afternoon.July 16–20: Cicadas claim the long noon.July 21–25: Dog days drape the earth in haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their rasping chorus.August 1–5: Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night.August 6–10: Meteorological summer's turning page.August 11–15: Cool winds gather at the margins.August 16–20: Dog-day cicadas rise.August 21–25: Heat breaks in creek beds.August 26–31: Monarchs gather strength.September 1–5: Harvests begin in earnest.September 6–10: Dew beads on resurrection fern.September 11–15: Raptors trail the thermals.September 16–20: Day and dark find balance.September 21–25: Thunder quiets the land.September 26–30: Insects retreat below.October 1–5: Swamp waters recede.October 6–10: Maples ignite the ridge.October 11–15: Asters crown the meadows.October 16–20: Crickets sing at dusk.October 21–25: Frost paints the garden.October 26–31: Light rains whisper down.November 1–5: Sweetgum Turns Crimson.November 6–10: Camellia Blooms Break Through.November 11–15: Earth Stiffens Underfoot.November 16–20: Bare Limbs Hold the Light.November 21–25: First Frost Grips the High Ground.November 26–30: North Wind Strips the Last Leaves.December 1–5: Darkness Falls Before Dinner.December 6–10: Winter Locks the Land.December 11–15: Wildlife Retreats to Shelter.December 16–20: Ice Edges Deepen Inward.December 21–25: The Sun Begins its Return.December 26–31: The Year Turns in Silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · July 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

Dog-day cicadas emerge in waves, their rasp dominating every sunny hour; heat peaks above 90 degrees daily.

Day 185 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
Marchlettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash—
Maytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
July—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
September—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
Novemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots—
December——

A year in weather

July is New Orleans's warmest stretch (~82°F) and January its coldest (~54°F); precipitation crests in August at 6.2 inches and ebbs in October to 1.9 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January54°5.0″19
February56°4.5″16
March62°5.0″18
April69°4.0″16
May76°2.8″15
June81°4.6″17
July82°4.9″21
August82°6.2″24
September79°4.8″18
October72°1.9″10
November63°3.3″14
December57°4.3″17

Regional context

In New Orleans, NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals put January near 54°F and July near 82°F — a 28°F seasonal arc — with about 51.1 inches of precipitation over 205 rainy or snowy days.

No season owns New Orleans's rain: August reaches 6.2 inches across 23.7 days and October keeps 1.9 inches on 10.0, an even spread through New Orleans's year. That lines New Orleans up with places like Arabi, LA, Chalmette, LA and Meraux, LA, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

With a coldest-month mean of 54°F, New Orleans stays mostly frost-free and grows year-round. The July peak near 82°F is New Orleans's real limit, pushing cool-season vegetables to spring and fall. New Orleans's coastal lots stay 4-7°F milder overnight than New Orleans's inland parcels.

Similar climates: Arabi, LA, Chalmette, LA, Meraux, LA, Violet, LA, Terrytown, LA.

Naturalist notes

By late May, bald cypress trees along area waterways have fully leafed out after their winter dormancy.

June brings the peak nesting period for brown pelicans along Louisiana's coastal areas.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in New Orleans?
In New Orleans, expect the last spring frost near mid-March; New Orleans's first autumn frost comes around mid-December.
What is the rainy season in New Orleans?
New Orleans sees its heaviest rain in August (around 6.2 inches), part of roughly 51 inches a year.
What is the warmest month in New Orleans?
New Orleans peaks in July, when the mean runs near 82°F.
What is the coldest month in New Orleans?
January is New Orleans's coldest month, averaging about 54°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in New Orleans?
In New Orleans, sow peas and hardy greens around mid-March; New Orleans's tomatoes and peppers wait two weeks more.
How many rainy days does New Orleans get?
New Orleans records around 205 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is New Orleans?
Since January in New Orleans averages 54°F, New Orleans's USDA zone follows that floor — confirm it by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for New Orleans?
New Orleans's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in New Orleans?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for New Orleans in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in New Orleans?
Current conditions for New Orleans and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the New Orleans forecast updated?
The New Orleans forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in New Orleans?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for New Orleans are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for New Orleans?
The next few days in New Orleans's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

The humid subtropical climate of New Orleans, Louisiana carries typical Januarys near 54°F and Julys around 82°F — 28°F of seasonal travel.

Across the year, New Orleans collects about 51 inches of precipitation over roughly 205 days with measurable rain or snow.

New Orleans sits at 30.1°N; that 28°F seasonal swing frames planting windows and frost dates across New Orleans.

All cities in Louisiana →

ZIP codes in New Orleans

  • 70139
  • 70130
  • 70131
  • 70148
  • 70114
  • 70115
  • 70116
  • 70117
  • 70112
  • 70113
  • 70118
  • 70119
  • 70129
  • 70128
  • 70125
  • 70124
  • 70127
  • 70126
  • 70122
  • 70163
  • 70142
  • 70145
  • 70146
  • 70150
  • 70151
  • 70152
  • 70153
  • 70154
  • 70156
  • 70157
  • 70158
  • 70159
  • 70160
  • 70161
  • 70162
  • 70164
  • 70165
  • 70166
  • 70167
  • 70170
  • 70172
  • 70174
  • 70175
  • 70176
  • 70177
  • 70178
  • 70179
  • 70181
  • 70182
  • 70184
  • 70185
  • 70186
  • 70187
  • 70189
  • 70190
  • 70195

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.