In short: the weather in Paris
- The coldest month: January, with an average of 7 degrees during the day and 3 at night, and about 10 rainy days in the month.
- The warmest month: July, with an average of 25 degrees during the day and 16 at night, and a risk of heat waves.
- The best months for walking: May, June and September. In May the average is 20 degrees with 9 rainy days. The truly dry months are July and September, with 7.4 and 7.5 rainy days.
- Rain: falls in nearly every month, usually short and not heavy. A compact umbrella works better than a heavy raincoat.
- Snow: rare. Even when it falls, it melts on the ground thanks to the urban heat island effect.
- The urban heat island: the city center runs about 2.5 degrees warmer on average per year than the suburbs, and during a heat wave the nighttime gap can reach 10 degrees.
- March showers: sharp swings within minutes between sunshine and heavy rain or hail. Common in March and April, sometimes even in early May.
One of the most popular questions that keeps popping up in Facebook groups and chats is “what’s the weather going to be like in Paris in the coming days?” or “how’s the weather there right now?”. Since Google can give you an accurate forecast for the week ahead in a fraction of a second, I know you’re not just looking for dry numbers. You’re looking for a deeper answer, one with practical advice: what to wear in every situation, how to pack right, and which attractions suit each season best. That’s exactly why I put this article together (and because a Francophile always looks for an excuse to talk about the city). It will give you the forecast for the week ahead right away, but along the way it will give you a lot more than that.
Paris weather forecast for the week ahead
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A Francophile’s tip: Paris has a mild climate with four distinct seasons (a semi-continental oceanic climate), with an average annual temperature of about 12.8°C and 634 mm of rainfall a year (1991-2020 norms from Meteo-France at the Paris-Montsouris station). I always recommend dressing in layers and keeping an umbrella in your bag, since rain can show up in any season.
What causes Paris’s unique weather patterns?
In recent years, due to climate change and the unique geography of the Paris basin, the city has been experiencing weather patterns worth knowing before you pack:
- The “urban heat island” effect: dense construction and a lack of open spaces create a “heat dome.” As a result, temperatures in the city center run 2°C to 3°C warmer on average than in the suburbs, and up to 10°C warmer on hot summer nights.
- Heat waves (canicule): heat waves where temperatures cross 35°C (and sometimes brush 40°C) have become more common in July and August. In these conditions, the city’s buildings trap the heat and don’t cool off efficiently at night.
- March showers (giboulées de mars): a common spring phenomenon where pleasant sunshine suddenly gives way to heavy showers, and sometimes even light hail or snow that melts right away.
- Flood risk: the Seine basin is sensitive to rising water levels after prolonged rain. Historic flood events have occurred in the past (the worst in 1910, plus 1924, 2016 and 2018), and the growing amount of paved-over ground in the metro area makes the problem worse.
Paris weather by season and month
Spring in Paris (March to May): renewal and the layering method
Spring brings beautiful blooms, but the weather stays unpredictable. The perfect combination is light layers for the daytime and a water-resistant jacket for cool evenings. An umbrella in your bag is a must.
- March: day 13°C | night 6°C | 9.5 rainy days. 🔗 What to do in Paris in March
- April: day 17°C | night 8°C | 8.6 rainy days. 🔗 What to do in Paris in April
- May: day 20°C | night 11°C | 9.2 rainy days. 🔗 What to do in Paris in May
Summer in Paris (June to August): hot, busy and in need of air conditioning
Paris summers are getting hotter year after year. If you’re sensitive to heat, make sure your hotel has air conditioning. Light clothes, a hat, sunscreen and a water bottle will help you get through it. To cool off, try activities like “Paris Plages” along the banks of the Seine.
- June: day 23°C | night 14°C | 8.3 rainy days. 🔗 What to do in Paris in June
- July: day 26°C | night 16°C | 7.4 rainy days. Peak tourist season. 🔗 What to do in Paris in July
- August: day 26°C | night 16°C | 8.1 rainy days. Many Parisians head out on their own summer vacation. 🔗 What to do in Paris in August
Fall in Paris (September to November): romantic melancholy and falling leaves
This is the perfect season for anyone who loves cool weather and stunning fall colors (and Paris without the heavy crowds of summer). Temperatures are great for long walks, but you’ll already need a sweater, a cardigan and a light coat.
- September: day 21°C | night 13°C | 7.5 rainy days. 🔗 What to do in Paris in September
- October: day 17°C | night 10°C | 9.5 rainy days. 🔗 What to do in Paris in October
- November: day 11°C | night 6°C | 10.4 rainy days. 🔗 What to do in Paris in November
Winter in Paris (December to February): cold, lit up and sometimes wet
Winter brings cold, crisp air, and sometimes rain (snow inside the city is fairly rare). This is the time to stock up on a warm winter coat, a scarf, gloves and a hat. Keep in mind that public spaces and institutions often limit heating (usually to around 19°C), so it’s worth keeping a warm layer on even indoors.
- December: day 8°C | night 4°C | 11.4 rainy days. Christmas markets in full swing. 🔗 What to do in Paris in December
- January: day 7°C | night 3°C | 9.9 rainy days. The coldest month. 🔗 What to do in Paris in January
- February: day 9°C | night 3°C | 9.1 rainy days. 🔗 What to do in Paris in February
Monthly weather summary
| Month | Max. temp (day) | Min. temp (night) | Average rainy days | Recommended season / key features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7°C | 3°C | 9.9 days | Classic urban winter; the coldest month of the year. |
| February | 9°C | 3°C | 9.1 days | Crisp, cold air; ideal for museum visits. |
| March | 13°C | 6°C | 9.5 days | Early spring; prone to March showers (giboulées). |
| April | 17°C | 8°C | 8.6 days | Blossoming and cherry blooms in the city’s gardens. |
| May | 20°C | 11°C | 9.2 days | Warm spring, perfect for long walks. |
| June | 23°C | 14°C | 8.3 days | Early summer; long, especially pleasant days. |
| July | 26°C | 16°C | 7.4 days | Peak summer; possible heat waves (canicule) and evening events. |
| August | 26°C | 16°C | 8.1 days | Local summer vacation season; the city is relatively quiet with locals away. |
| September | 21°C | 13°C | 7.5 days | Early fall; pleasant weather and urban romance. |
| October | 17°C | 10°C | 9.5 days | Stunning fall colors in the Luxembourg Gardens and cooler temperatures. |
| November | 11°C | 6°C | 10.4 days | Late fall; cool and rainy, good for indoor activities. |
| December | 8°C | 4°C | 11.4 days | Winter lights; Christmas markets and festive street lighting. |
What to wear in Paris by season
After dozens of visits to the city, I can tell you the packing mistake isn’t choosing the wrong clothes, it’s packing the wrong amount. Paris doesn’t call for heavy winter gear, and it doesn’t tolerate a single outfit that carries you from morning to night either, because the gap between morning and afternoon, and between the street and a museum, is bigger than the gap between the months themselves. That’s where the layering method comes in, something every Parisian takes for granted and anyone from a Mediterranean climate takes a bit longer to learn: a thin layer against your skin, a warm layer over it, and an outer layer that blocks wind and water. You take off the two inner layers the moment you step into a museum or the metro, where it’s much warmer than outside.
The item that matters more than your coat is your shoes. In Paris you’ll walk far more than you planned, a lot of the sidewalks are paved in stone, and wet stone turns a smooth sole into a real problem. Closed shoes with a good grip solve this without turning you into someone dressed for a mountain trek.
Spring: a thin coat and a layer you can take off
The temperature climbs gradually to an average of 20 degrees in May, but May is also the month with the most rainfall of the year, 69 millimeters, all packed into just 9 rainy days. In other words, when it rains in spring, it rains hard, and March showers turn every daily forecast into a mere suggestion. A thin windbreaker, a sweater underneath and closed shoes cover anything a day in the city can throw at you. In March and April I never leave the apartment without a compact umbrella in my bag, and by May you can risk going without one.
- 9 rainy days in May, 8.6 in April
- The gardens open early and close late
- A big gap between morning and afternoon
Summer: light clothes, and one layer for the evening
July is the hottest month, with 25 degrees during the day and 16 at night, and during heat waves the urban heat island effect adds up to 10 more degrees to the nighttime gap. Light clothes and a water bottle are the obvious choices, but a cruise on the Seine or an evening in the gardens cools off faster than it seems at midday, so one long-sleeved layer stays in your bag. In June, July and August it’s worth saving the hottest hours for an air-conditioned museum and leaving your walking for morning and evening.
- 16 hours of daylight on June 21
- July is the driest month of the year, 7.4 rainy days
- 14 days a year go above 30 degrees, most of them in July and August
Fall: a water-resistant layer, and a scarf
September still behaves like late summer, October is when you really need to gear up, and November is winter in everything but name. A light, water-resistant coat, a scarf and shoes that don’t mind getting wet will get you through these three months. In September and October, the fall colors in the Luxembourg Gardens are worth the rain that comes with them, and by November it’s worth planning a day that ends indoors.
- September is among the driest months of the year, 7.5 rainy days
- Only 8.5 hours of daylight by late November
- 10.4 rainy days in November
Winter: a real coat, not ski gear
January is the coldest month, with 7 degrees during the day and 3 at night, and that’s not cold enough to justify ski gear. The real issue in Paris is the humidity and wind, not the number on the thermometer, so a wind-blocking coat, gloves and a hat do more than one thick layer ever could. Snow falls rarely and melts on the ground, so waterproof shoes help more here than winter boots. In December you get the most rainy days of the year, 11.4, but the lights make up for the darkness, and by January and February the museums are genuinely empty.
- Only 2.6 days a year stay below freezing
- Cheap hotels, short lines and rare snow
- 59 hours of sunshine for all of January, versus 222 in July
Still not sure which month to pick? On my what to do in Paris each month page I’ve gathered the year’s events and holidays, which makes it easier to figure out when the climate and your plans line up.
Frequently asked questions about the weather in Paris
What’s the weather going to be like in Paris this week?
You’ll find a full, up-to-date forecast at the top of the page, based on real-time data through the widget I built for this page.
Does it snow in Paris in December or in winter?
Snow in Paris is a fairly rare event. Winter weather is usually marked by very cold air and light rain. If you do catch a glimpse of snowflakes, they usually melt the moment they hit the ground, thanks to the urban heat island effect.
Is Paris cold in winter?
Yes, temperatures usually run low, close to freezing. That said, thanks to the street lighting, the bustling cafés and the Christmas markets, the overall atmosphere in the city is especially warm and inviting.
What is the “urban heat island” effect and how does it affect Paris weather?
Due to the high density of buildings and the lack of green space in central Paris, a microclimate effect forms that traps heat. As a result, temperatures inside the city run 2°C to 3°C warmer on average than in the surrounding countryside, and during heat waves (canicule) the nighttime gap can jump to as much as 10°C.
What are “March showers” (giboulées de mars) and when do they happen?
This is a classic spring weather pattern caused by extreme temperature differences between the warming ground and the cold air in the upper atmosphere. It’s marked by sharp, sudden swings within a few minutes between bright sunshine and heavy rain showers, hail, or light snow that melts right away. Despite the name, the pattern is common throughout March and April, and sometimes even into early May.
Is there a real flood risk in Paris?
Yes. Paris sits at the heart of a flat geographic basin and is very sensitive to rising water levels in the Seine and its tributaries after long rainy spells. The city has suffered serious floods in the past, including the historic great flood of 1910 and major events in 2016 and 2018, and modern paving and sealing of the ground across the metro area is making the drainage challenges worse.
