São Carlos climate
São Carlos (São Paulo, Brazil) has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa). The average temperature over the year is 21 °C69 °F, and about 1,229 mm48 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
São Carlos climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2781 | 1865 | 2373 | 2529.9 |
| Feb | 2781 | 1864 | 2373 | 1626.4 |
| Mar | 2780 | 1763 | 2272 | 1295.1 |
| Apr | 2679 | 1560 | 2169 | 612.4 |
| May | 2374 | 1254 | 1864 | 612.4 |
| Jun | 2374 | 1152 | 1763 | 301.2 |
| Jul | 2475 | 1050 | 1763 | 240.9 |
| Aug | 2780 | 1152 | 1966 | 271.1 |
| Sep | 2985 | 1457 | 2271 | 481.9 |
| Oct | 3086 | 1661 | 2374 | 993.9 |
| Nov | 2984 | 1762 | 2373 | 1495.9 |
| Dec | 2882 | 1864 | 2373 | 1867.3 |
| Year | 3086 | 1050 | 2169 | 1,22948 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 81% | 75% | 5.7 | 13:20 |
| Feb | 81% | 65% | 5.8 | 12:51 |
| Mar | 82% | 58% | 5.5 | 12:16 |
| Apr | 79% | 42% | 4.9 | 11:37 |
| May | 78% | 45% | 4.0 | 11:04 |
| Jun | 75% | 39% | 3.8 | 10:48 |
| Jul | 67% | 35% | 4.0 | 10:54 |
| Aug | 60% | 30% | 4.8 | 11:22 |
| Sep | 58% | 43% | 5.3 | 12:00 |
| Oct | 64% | 61% | 5.8 | 12:39 |
| Nov | 71% | 65% | 6.0 | 13:12 |
| Dec | 77% | 71% | 6.1 | 13:28 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of São Carlos is like
The warmest month is October, with an average high of 30 °C86 °F and a low of 16 °C61 °F. The coldest is June, when highs average 23 °C74 °F and lows 11 °C52 °F. Seasonal differences are small — just 6.1 °C11 °F between the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,229 mm48 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is December–February, which brings 49% of the annual total. The wettest month is January (252 mm9.9 in), the driest is July (24 mm0.9 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 58% in September to 82% in March. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 30%) are typical of August. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 5 km/h (3 mph) in March to 8 km/h (5 mph) in September. Daylight lasts from about 10.8 hours in June to 13.5 hours in December.
Best time to visit São Carlos
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are April–September: average highs of 23 °C74 °F to 29 °C85 °F with 24 mm0.9 in to 61 mm2.4 in of precipitation per month.
The most challenging month is January, which is very wet (252 mm9.9 in) and humid (81% relative humidity).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for São Carlos
- Wetter months (November–March) — highs 2780 to 29 °C84 °F, lows 1762 to 18 °C65 °F, about 176 mm6.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Drier months (April–October) — highs 2374 to 30 °C86 °F, lows 1050 to 16 °C61 °F, about 50 mm2.0 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
How São Carlos compares
Compared with Piracicaba, about 83 km to the south, São Carlos is on average 1.6 °C2.9 °F cooler and receives a similar amount of precipitation. The difference is largest in February (1.9 °C3.4 °F cooler).
Of the 223 places in Brazil covered by World Climates, São Carlos is the 185th warmest by annual mean temperature and the 150th wettest by annual precipitation. See all of them on the Brazil climate page.
Places in other countries with the most similar temperature and rainfall pattern (seasons shifted for the other hemisphere where needed): Córdoba (Mexico, Cwa), Chimoio (Mozambique, Cwa) and Siguatepeque (Honduras, Aw).
Nearby places
- Araraquara 38 km · 22 °C71 °F · 1,229 mm48 in
- Leme 55 km · 22 °C72 °F · 1,253 mm49 in
- Jaú 75 km · 22 °C72 °F · 1,208 mm48 in
- Piracicaba 83 km · 22 °C72 °F · 1,245 mm49 in
- Ribeirão Preto 94 km · 24 °C74 °F · 1,318 mm52 in
- Sertãozinho 98 km · 24 °C74 °F · 1,272 mm50 in
- Mogi Guaçu 105 km · 22 °C72 °F · 1,304 mm51 in
- Sumaré 110 km · 22 °C71 °F · 1,241 mm49 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in São Carlos?
October is the warmest month in São Carlos, with an average high of 30 °C (86 °F) and an average low of 16 °C (61 °F).
What is the coldest month in São Carlos?
June is the coldest month, with an average high of 23 °C (74 °F) and an average low of 11 °C (52 °F).
When does it rain the most in São Carlos?
January is the wettest month with about 252 mm (9.9 in) of precipitation; July is the driest with about 24 mm (0.9 in).
What is the best time to visit São Carlos?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are April–September.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station, so they can differ from airport records — most of all on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 655 m, while São Carlos lies at about 838 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by −1.2 °C2.1 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.