Best time to visit Washington D.C.
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Similar climatesNew York City92% · Williamsburg92% · Nashville92%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Washington D.C. (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Washington D.C.'s. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1–7 | 3 | 9 | 105 | 11.7 | 61% | 19 | 138 | 2 | Quiet | 5 |
| Feb | 0–10 | 6 | 11 | 116 | 10.5 | 59% | 18 | 145 | 3 | Quiet | 5 |
| Mar | 4–14 | 11 | 10 | 101 | 10.1 | 55% | 20 | 183 | 4 | Quiet | 7 |
| Apr | 8–19 | 16 | 12 | 116 | 9.7 | 51% | 20 | 206 | 5 | Quiet | 8 |
| May | 12–23 | 22 | 11 | 128 | 11.6 | 56% | 17 | 229 | 6 | Quiet | 8 |
| Jun | 18–29 | 30 | 12 | 106 | 8.8 | 52% | 16 | 262 | 7 | Quiet | 7 |
| Jul | 21–32 | 35 | 15 | 129 | 8.6 | 56% | 14 | 277 | 7 | Quiet | 3 |
| Aug | 20–30 | 32 | 16 | 158 | 9.9 | 61% | 14 | 245 | 6 | Peak | 4 |
| Sep | 16–26 | 27 | 11 | 130 | 11.8 | 61% | 15 | 200 | 5 | Busy | 8 |
| Oct | 11–20 | 19 | 8 | 95 | 11.9 | 61% | 16 | 189 | 4 | Moderate | 9 |
| Nov | 5–14 | 11 | 8 | 63 | 7.9 | 58% | 17 | 178 | 2 | Peak | 7 |
| Dec | 1–9 | 6 | 9 | 91 | 10.1 | 62% | 17 | 143 | 1 | Peak | 5 |
UV Index in Washington D.C. by Month
UV index in Washington D.C. peaks at 7 (high) in July, dropping to 1 (low) in December. June, July, August have high UV — SPF 30+ and sunglasses recommended.
Best months in detail
October
9/1011–20°C (feels 19°C) · 8 rain days (95h) · 189 sun hours · 61% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 4 (moderate)
May
8/1012–23°C · 11 rain days (128h) · 229 sun hours · 56% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
September
8/1016–26°C · 11 rain days (130h) · 200 sun hours · 61% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
5/10-1–7°C (feels 3°C) · 9 rain days (105h) · 138 sun hours · 61% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
February
5/100–10°C (feels 6°C) · 11 rain days (116h) · 145 sun hours · 59% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
March
7/104–14°C (feels 11°C) · 10 rain days (101h) · 183 sun hours · 55% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (moderate)
April
8/108–19°C (feels 16°C) · 12 rain days (116h) · 206 sun hours · 51% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (high)
June
7/1018–29°C (feels 30°C) · 12 rain days (106h) · 262 sun hours · 52% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
July
3/1021–32°C (feels 35°C) · 15 rain days (129h) · 277 sun hours · 56% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
August
4/1020–30°C (feels 32°C) · 16 rain days (158h) · 245 sun hours · 61% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (high)
November
7/105–14°C (feels 11°C) · 8 rain days (63h) · 178 sun hours · 58% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
December
5/101–9°C (feels 6°C) · 9 rain days (91h) · 143 sun hours · 62% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 1 (low)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Washington D.C.
When is the best time to visit Washington D.C.?
October is the highest-scoring month (9/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 11–20°C (8 rainy days). The top three months by score are October, May, September.
What is the worst time to visit Washington D.C.?
July is the lowest-scoring month (3/10, capped by extreme heat). Typical conditions: 21–32°C (15 rainy days).
Is Washington D.C. too hot in summer?
3 months (June, July, August) trip the heat deal-breaker in our scoring: apparent temperature crosses the comfort cap, so even with clear skies and low rain the score is held down. Plan around it if heat tolerance is low.
When are crowds lowest in Washington D.C.?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in January and peaks in November. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Washington D.C. have good weather but fewer tourists?
April (climate 8/10, crowd index 29) and May (climate 8/10, crowd index 29) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Washington D.C. by month?
UV peaks at 7 (high) in July and is lowest in December at 1 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 2, Feb 3, Mar 4, Apr 5, May 6, Jun 7, Jul 7, Aug 6, Sep 5, Oct 4, Nov 2, Dec 1.
What is the UV index in Washington D.C. in July?
July is the peak UV month in Washington D.C., with a daily-peak UV index of 7 (high). Apply SPF 30+, wear sunglasses, and seek shade during midday hours.
How high can UV get in Washington D.C. on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. June is the worst case: typical days average UV 7 (high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 9 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, November. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Washington D.C. bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 9 months: January, February, May, June, July, August, September, November, December. The worst month is June with a typical-day mean of 18 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 30 µg/m³ (unhealthy) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.