How do I choose the best month for a trip?
Compare the months that suit your plans, using comfortable temperatures and the amount and frequency of precipitation as a starting point. Then check the destination’s local conditions and the activities you want to do.
- Choose a month. The world map shows historical average conditions for that calendar month. Play the year to see the seasonal changes.
- Start with “Best time to visit.” Open “Your kind of weather” to choose cool, mild or warm conditions and your preference for less rain or clearer skies.
- Explore a destination. Search for a city or place, or click a land point. The location profile compares all twelve months.
- Inspect the individual layers. A useful overall score can hide a compromise. Check temperature, precipitation, wet days and cloud cover before choosing.
Use the map to compare seasons. Before departure, check a current forecast and local information about your route, elevation and planned activities.
What do the weather layers mean?
| Layer | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Temperature · °C | The monthly mean air temperature, including day and night. It is not the typical daytime maximum. |
| Precipitation · mm | The total precipitation in an average month. Rain and snow are not separated. |
| Wet days · days | The average number of days with at least 0.1 mm of precipitation. It does not mean rain lasts all day. |
| Cloud cover · % | The average share of sky covered by cloud. It is not the number of cloudy days or a measurement of sunshine hours. |
Read precipitation and wet days together: the same monthly total can accompany different numbers of wet days. These monthly averages do not describe the timing or length of individual showers.
What is a good weather-fit score?
70–84 is a good fit; 85–100 is a great fit. Scores of 50–69 indicate a mixed fit, and scores below 50 a poor fit for your selected preferences. Green areas highlight scores of at least 70.
The default score favors monthly mean temperatures of 18–26°C, less precipitation, fewer wet days and clearer skies. The location profile lists up to three highest-scoring months that reach 70. A destination may have no qualifying month.
The score is a preference-based comparison, not a probability of good weather or a universal recommendation. It does not account for humidity, wind, sea conditions, daily extremes, crowds, travel safety or activity-specific requirements. Read the full formula and weights.
Common planning questions
Is this a weather forecast?
No. Every January value averages January in each year from 2001 through 2025, and the same method is used for the other months. The map describes historical seasonal patterns, not the weather on your travel dates.
How precise is a city’s climate profile?
It represents the surrounding 0.5° grid cell, about 55 km from north to south. Nearby mountains, coasts or neighborhoods can have different conditions. A region search selects one representative cell, not an average across the region.
Does a wet day mean a rainy holiday?
Not necessarily. The threshold is only 0.1 mm in a day. A wet day could include a short shower; the monthly data cannot tell you when precipitation falls or how long it lasts.
Can I find sunshine hours or sunny-day counts?
Those measurements are not included. The cloud-cover layer provides average sky coverage and should not be converted into sunshine hours or counts of sunny days.
Why are some islands or locations grey?
Grey means no data, not zero rainfall or poor weather. The source covers global land except Antarctica, but its grid does not resolve every small island. Ocean cells also have no climate values.
Where do the climate averages come from?
WeatherWhether calculates the 2001–2025 calendar-month averages from CRU TS 4.10, published by the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia. See the data source, processing method, limitations and downloads.
Can I save a place’s monthly data?
Yes. Select a location and wait for all twelve months to load, then choose “Download this location’s monthly data.” The CSV includes the climate values and weather-fit scores for your chosen preferences.
Start with the month you have in mind. Find a season that feels right for you.
Open the world map →