Best Time to Visit Florianópolis: A Month-by-Month Guide

For most travelers, the best time to visit Florianópolis is March and April: the sea is still warm, the beaches and roads empty out after Carnival and prices drop. If you want summer at its peak, with parties and packed beaches, go from December to February. For hiking, food and low prices, winter (June to August) is great, as long as you aren’t counting on swimming in the sea.

Florianópolis has a humid subtropical climate, with four distinct seasons and rain spread throughout the year. That means there’s no “dry season”: any month can bring cloudy days, so it’s worth having a plan B.

Florianópolis weather month by month

Air temperatures are from INMET’s climate normals (1991–2020) (INMET is Brazil’s national weather institute), rounded. Sea temperature is an approximate average and varies from year to year.

Month	Air (low/high)	Sea	Rain	Crowds	Prices	Highlights
January	22 / 29 °C	~25–26 °C	Heavy (rainiest month)	Very high	Very high	Peak summer
February	22 / 30 °C	~25–26 °C	High	Very high	Very high	Carnival (Feb. or Mar.)
March	21 / 29 °C	~25 °C	High	Medium, drops after Carnival	Medium	City’s anniversary (Mar. 23)
April	19 / 27 °C	~24 °C	Moderate	Low	Medium to low	Long holiday weekends fill up
May	16 / 24 °C	~22 °C*	Moderate	Low	Low	Mullet season begins; Ironman Brasil (May or June)
June	14 / 22 °C	~20 °C*	Lowest of the year	Low	Low	Mullet season
July	13 / 21 °C	~19 °C	Low	Low	Low	Coldest month; end of mullet season
August	14 / 22 °C	~18–19 °C	Low	Low	Low	Good for hiking
September	15 / 22 °C	~19 °C	Moderate to high	Low	Low	Fewest hours of sunshine
October	18 / 24 °C	~21 °C	Moderate to high	Medium	Medium	Spring
November	19 / 26 °C	~22 °C	Moderate to high	Medium	Medium	Pre-season
December	21 / 28 °C	~24 °C	High	High, surges at month’s end	High	New Year’s Eve (Réveillon)

*Estimated from the neighboring months.

Summer (December to February): high season

This is when Florianópolis lives at beach pace. The sea is at its warmest of the year, around 25 °C, the days are long, and the island welcomes tourists from all over Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile.

Good for: warm water, nightlife, beach clubs and the party atmosphere of New Year’s Eve and Carnival.

Watch out for:

• Heavy traffic, especially on the roads to the north of the island, to Lagoa da Conceição and to the east-side beaches.
• Pricier accommodation, with long minimum stays over New Year’s Eve and Carnival. Book well in advance.
• Humid heat and afternoon showers. January is the rainiest month, with about 240 mm on average.

See how to make the most of the celebrations in our guide to New Year’s Eve and Carnival in Florianópolis.

Fall (March to May): the best balance

After Carnival, the island changes pace. In March and April the sea is still warm, between 24 and 25 °C, the sun is still strong and the beaches are much emptier. It’s many locals’ favorite time of year.

May is cooler, with highs around 24 °C and chilly nights. It marks the start of mullet (tainha) season, which runs from May to July: the beach seine nets are hauled out of the sea with locals pitching in, and the fish appears on menus.

Good for: uncrowded beaches, couples, and anyone with flexible dates who wants to pay less.

Watch out for: long holiday weekends, such as Holy Week (Easter), fill the city up again for a few days.

Winter (June to August): hiking, food and low prices

Winter in Florianópolis is mild by southern Brazil standards: average highs are between 21 and 22 °C and lows around 13 to 14 °C. But the humidity and the south wind can make it feel much colder, and there can be several days of rain in a row when a cold front comes through.

The sea drops to 18 or 19 °C in July and August, cold for most swimmers but good for surfing in a wetsuit.

Good for: hikes such as Lagoinha do Leste and Costa da Lagoa, all-you-can-eat oyster meals, the historic center, remote work and long stays at low prices.

Watch out for: some businesses in the beach neighborhoods, especially in the north of the island, run at a slower pace. The central neighborhoods, such as downtown (Centro) and Trindade, carry on as usual. See our guide to hiking trails in Florianópolis.

Spring (September to November): the island warms up

September and October are transition months, with mild days, more wind and the lowest average hours of sunshine of the year, according to INMET. In November the heat returns, the sea climbs above 22 °C and the city is still quiet before high season.

Good for: pleasant weather and mid-range prices. November is a good “early summer.”

The best time to visit for each kind of trip

Trip type	Best time	Why
Beach with warm water	January to April	Water around 24 to 26 °C
Beach without the crowds	March, April and November	Pleasant sea and fewer people
Parties and nightlife	December to February	New Year’s Eve, Carnival and beach clubs
Hiking	April to September	Less heat and fewer heavy downpours
Food	Year-round; May to July for mullet	Oysters all year, mullet in season
Saving money	May to September	Low season
Remote work and long stays	March to November	Quiet city and bigger discounts

Tips for any time of year

• Check the forecast and the wind: with a south wind, the northern beaches are usually calmer; with a northeast wind, the southern ones.
• Pack a jacket, even in summer. Nights can get cool, especially with a south wind.
• Avoid arriving and leaving on the peak days of New Year’s Eve and Carnival, when traffic to the airport and across the bridges is slowest.
• Have a plan for rainy days. See what to do in Florianópolis when it rains.
• Event dates change: festivals such as Fenaostra, the national oyster festival, and races such as the Ironman don’t have a fixed month. Check that year’s calendar before booking.

A base that works in any season

In summer, staying in the center of the island lets you pick the day’s beach without crossing all of Florianópolis; in winter, the neighborhood’s services keep running as usual. Floripa Studio Trindade is next to UFSC (Federal University of Santa Catarina), with air conditioning for summer, 800 Mbps Wi-Fi and a supermarket on the ground floor of the building. If you’re using the low season to stay longer, there’s a 10% weekly and 15% monthly discount. See also our guide to monthly rentals in Florianópolis.