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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

New Orleans in April

New Orleans in April: 41% of days see measurable rain, 77°F average high, 34% of days historically clear (n=240, ERA5 2018–2025).

New Orleans in April is historically a poor month for sun: only 34% of days clear across 8 years (n=240, avg high 77°F). Historical average, not a forecast.

What you are reading: 8-year historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis, not a forecast. A month that is historically 90% clear can still be overcast on your specific trip. For this week’s actual forecast, see the live New Orleans page. Both can be true at once: “historically strong in this month; this particular week is not.” We label which is which.

Early vs. Late April

Clear-sky percentage for New Orleans in April, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early April
1st–15th		 28% n=120 77°F
Late April
16th–end		 39% n=120 77°F
Full month average 34% n=240 77°F

Sunshine & warmth in April

A second measure using actual sunshine hours (ERA5 sunshine_duration), not the daily weather code. A Lowcountry day with 12 hours of sun and a 25-minute afternoon storm is counted below as a warm, sunny day — because it was. How we define this.

Sunshine-based metrics for New Orleans in April. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early April
1st–15th		 64% n=120
Late April
16th–end		 78% n=120
Full month average 71% n=240
11.2 h median sunshine per day 81% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 41% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 34%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 71%. The 37-point gap is from brief afternoon convective storms that stamp the whole day as “rain” in the WMO code but leave the bulk of the sunshine untouched.

Bottom line

New Orleans is mostly overcast in April historically: only 34% of days are clear across 8 years (n=240), avg high 77°F. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

Every month in New Orleans

Compare across all months with data. Numbers are historical clear-sky %.

Historical clear-sky % for New Orleans, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 2% n=248 All destinations →
February 6% n=226 All destinations →
March 15% n=248 All destinations →
April ← this page 34% n=240 All destinations →
May 30% n=248 All destinations →
June 14% n=240 All destinations →
July 7% n=248 All destinations →
August 15% n=248 All destinations →
September 28% n=240 All destinations →
October 42% n=248 All destinations →
November 20% n=240 All destinations →
December 6% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in New Orleans in April?

Sometimes. New Orleans sees measurable rain on 41% of days in April historically (n=240 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is New Orleans good for sun in April?

It's mixed. New Orleans in April is clear on 34% of days historically (avg high 77°F, n=240 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — the outcome varies year to year.

How New Orleans compares in April

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against New Orleans this month — same passport tier, similar flight distance, both sides from the same 8-year ERA5 record.

All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.