New Orleans, LA weather in August
August in New Orleans: hot and oppressively humid, with frequent rain. Highs 94°F, lows 77°F, about 12 days with rain. This is the peak of the warm season in New Orleans. Midday heat is the main thing to plan around.
- Normal high
- 94°F
- Normal low
- 77°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 6.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 30
- dew point 65°F+
How August changes from start to finish
| August 1 | August 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 95°F | 93°F |
| Normal low | 77°F | 76°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 40% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:19 am / 7:53 pm | 6:36 am / 7:24 pm |
| Daylight | 13.6 h | 12.8 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical August day
- 6 am81°Fdew point 75°F
- 9 am85°Fdew point 75°F
- Noon88°Fdew point 74°F
- 3 pm88°Fdew point 73°F
- 6 pm86°Fdew point 73°F
- 9 pm83°Fdew point 74°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from New Orleans Lakefront Airport (7 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more26 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more30 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per August, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in August
Normal precipitation is 6.5 in; a dry August brings about 3.7 in and a wet one about 8.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more.
How August varies from year to year
- Warmest August, 1991-20202011: average high 97°F
- Coolest August1992: average high 89°F
- Wettest August2012: 21.4 in
- Driest August1999: 1.0 in
- Highest reading103°F (August 30, 2000)
- Lowest reading66°F (August 14, 2004)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
August compared with July and September
| July | August | September | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 94°F | 94°F | 90°F |
| Normal low | 77°F | 77°F | 74°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 12 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Daylight | 13.8 h | 13.2 h | 12.3 h |
Highs change by 0°F from July and -4°F into September.
How New Orleans ranks in August
- Normal high64th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 5 in Louisiana
- Wet days321st driest of 378
- Comfortable days306th most of 341
What to pack for New Orleans in August
- Light, breathable clothing – highs near 94°F and about 30 muggy days
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Heating and cooling
August has 0 heating degree days and 634 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is New Orleans in August?
The normal high is 94°F and the normal low is 77°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest August reading was 103°F (August 30, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in New Orleans in August?
About 12 days in August have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 6.5 in. The wettest August in 1991-2020 was in 2012 (21.4 in); the driest was in 1999 (1.0 in).
Is August a good time to visit New Orleans?
August ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for New Orleans (32 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days and about 26 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are March, April and November.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: New Orleans Audubon (USW00012930), 4.2 mi SW of the city center, 20 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: New Orleans Lakefront Airport (USW00053917), 7.1 mi NNE of the city center, 9 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Louis Armstrong New Orleans Intl Airport (722310-12916), 13 mi WNW of the city center, -3 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).