São Luís climate
São Luís (Maranhão, Brazil) has a tropical savanna (dry summer) climate (Köppen As). The average temperature over the year is 27 °C81 °F, and about 1,717 mm68 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
São Luís climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2985 | 2576 | 2781 | 1917.5 |
| Feb | 2983 | 2476 | 2680 | 2479.7 |
| Mar | 2883 | 2476 | 2679 | 32213 |
| Apr | 2882 | 2576 | 2679 | 35714 |
| May | 2883 | 2577 | 2780 | 2389.4 |
| Jun | 2983 | 2476 | 2680 | 1495.8 |
| Jul | 2984 | 2475 | 2780 | 883.5 |
| Aug | 3187 | 2475 | 2781 | 220.9 |
| Sep | 3188 | 2476 | 2882 | 230.9 |
| Oct | 3188 | 2577 | 2882 | 150.6 |
| Nov | 3188 | 2577 | 2883 | 170.7 |
| Dec | 3187 | 2577 | 2882 | 481.9 |
| Year | 3188 | 2475 | 2781 | 1,71768 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82% | 73% | 4.9 | 12:15 |
| Feb | 87% | 81% | 4.8 | 12:12 |
| Mar | 89% | 82% | 4.7 | 12:08 |
| Apr | 91% | 82% | 4.6 | 12:03 |
| May | 90% | 67% | 4.8 | 12:00 |
| Jun | 87% | 50% | 5.0 | 11:59 |
| Jul | 84% | 38% | 5.2 | 11:59 |
| Aug | 77% | 26% | 5.8 | 12:02 |
| Sep | 73% | 25% | 6.0 | 12:06 |
| Oct | 72% | 34% | 6.0 | 12:10 |
| Nov | 73% | 46% | 5.7 | 12:14 |
| Dec | 75% | 58% | 5.3 | 12:16 |
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 Luís is like
The warmest month is November, with an average high of 31 °C88 °F and a low of 25 °C77 °F. The coldest is April, when highs average 28 °C82 °F and lows 25 °C76 °F. Temperatures barely change through the year: the warmest and the coolest month differ by only 1.9 °C3.4 °F.
It is wet, with about 1,717 mm68 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is February–April, which brings 54% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: October and November. The wettest month is April (357 mm14 in), the driest is October (15 mm0.6 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 72% in October to 91% in April. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 25%) are typical of September. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 4 km/h (3 mph) in April to 6 km/h (4 mph) in October.
Best time to visit São Luís
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are August–December. Average highs then reach 31 °C87 °F to 31 °C88 °F. Precipitation is 15 mm0.6 in to 48 mm1.9 in per month.
The most challenging month is April, which is very wet (357 mm14 in) and humid (91% relative humidity).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means 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 Luís
- Wetter months (January–June) — highs 2882 to 29 °C85 °F, lows 2476 to 25 °C77 °F, about 251 mm9.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and a good rain jacket or umbrella and quick-drying shoes.
- Drier months (July–December) — highs 2984 to 31 °C88 °F, lows 2475 to 25 °C77 °F, about 35 mm1.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How São Luís compares
World Climates covers 223 places in Brazil. By annual mean temperature, São Luís is the 23rd warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 23rd wettest. See all of them on the Brazil climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall (with seasons shifted for the other hemisphere). The closest matches are Quevedo (Ecuador, Aw), Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands, Aw) and Hagåtña (Guam, Am).
The same NASA POWER grid cell also contains Paço do Lumiar (pop. 155,307). Their long-term averages in this dataset are essentially the same as for São Luís, so they do not have separate pages.
Nearby places
- Climate in São José de Ribamar 27 km · 27 °C81 °F · 1,511 mm60 in
- Climate in Bacabal 197 km · 28 °C82 °F · 1,513 mm60 in
- Climate in Codó 219 km · 28 °C82 °F · 1,381 mm54 in
- Climate in Caxias 279 km · 28 °C83 °F · 1,278 mm50 in
- Climate in Parnaíba 284 km · 28 °C82 °F · 1,102 mm43 in
- Climate in Bragança 319 km · 27 °C80 °F · 2,499 mm98 in
- Climate in Timon 328 km · 28 °C83 °F · 1,278 mm50 in
- Climate in Teresina 330 km · 29 °C83 °F · 1,201 mm47 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in São Luís?
November is the warmest month in São Luís. Its average high is 31 °C (88 °F) and its average low is 25 °C (77 °F).
What is the coldest month in São Luís?
April is the coldest month. Its average high is 28 °C (82 °F) and its average low is 25 °C (76 °F).
When does it rain the most in São Luís?
April is the wettest month with about 357 mm (14.1 in) of precipitation. October is the driest with about 15 mm (0.6 in).
What is the best time to visit São Luís?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are August–December.
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. The gaps are largest 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.