Best time to visit Halifax
The best time to visit Halifax is July–September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.4 °C / 33 °F | -6.9 °C / 20 °F | 118 mm / 4.6 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 0.3 °C / 33 °F | -7.6 °C / 18 °F | 112 mm / 4.4 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 3.9 °C / 39 °F | -3.7 °C / 25 °F | 97 mm / 3.8 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 9.3 °C / 49 °F | 1.1 °C / 34 °F | 97 mm / 3.8 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 14.6 °C / 58 °F | 5.8 °C / 42 °F | 72 mm / 2.8 in | good month |
| June | 19.1 °C / 66 °F | 10.9 °C / 52 °F | 113 mm / 4.5 in | good month |
| July | 23.4 °C / 74 °F | 15.4 °C / 60 °F | 91 mm / 3.6 in | best month |
| August | 23.4 °C / 74 °F | 15.2 °C / 59 °F | 95 mm / 3.8 in | best month |
| September | 20.1 °C / 68 °F | 11.9 °C / 53 °F | 92 mm / 3.6 in | best month |
| October | 14.4 °C / 58 °F | 7.1 °C / 45 °F | 124 mm / 4.9 in | good month |
| November | 8.6 °C / 47 °F | 1.9 °C / 35 °F | 132 mm / 5.2 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 3.3 °C / 38 °F | -3.3 °C / 26 °F | 143 mm / 5.6 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: good
- JJune: good
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- July–September
- Good
- May–June, October
Halifax is best for walking tours from July through September, when it's warm and bright despite humid, afternoon-heavy showers; May, June and October are decent shoulder months, but the cold, dark, wet stretch from November through April makes exploring outdoors a slog.
Why these months
May · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 61%, precipitation 72 mm / 2.8 in, feels like (high) 12.6 °C / 55 °F, average daily high 14.6 °C / 58 °F, days with heavy rain 2.2 days, relative humidity 76%.
Against: wet days 10.9 days, average daily low 5.8 °C / 42 °F.
June · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.7 °C / 66 °F, average daily high 19.1 °C / 66 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 59%, average daily low 10.9 °C / 52 °F.
Against: wet days 12.2 days, precipitation 113 mm / 4.5 in, relative humidity 81%, days with heavy rain 3.9 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 42%.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.8 °C / 77 °F, average daily high 23.4 °C / 74 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 65%, precipitation 91 mm / 3.6 in, average daily low 15.4 °C / 60 °F, days with heavy rain 3.4 days, wet days 10.3 days.
Against: relative humidity 82%, share of rain falling in the daytime 45%.
Also on: Halifax Canada Day, Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.4 °C / 76 °F, average daily high 23.4 °C / 74 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 71%, precipitation 95 mm / 3.8 in, days with heavy rain 3 days, average daily low 15.2 °C / 59 °F, wet days 10.8 days.
Against: relative humidity 82%, share of rain falling in the daytime 44%.
Also on: Busker Festival.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 19.6 °C / 67 °F, average daily high 20.1 °C / 68 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 69%, precipitation 92 mm / 3.6 in, wet days 8.4 days, days with heavy rain 2.9 days, average daily low 11.9 °C / 53 °F.
Against: relative humidity 82%.
October · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 63%, average daily high 14.4 °C / 58 °F, average daily low 7.1 °C / 45 °F.
Against: precipitation 124 mm / 4.9 in, relative humidity 81%, days with heavy rain 4 days, wet days 10.4 days, sunshine per day 6.9 h, feels like (high) 12 °C / 54 °F.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Pin Rouge, 440 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -4.3 °C | -4.6 °C | -0.6 °C | 5.8 °C | 12.6 °C | 18.7 °C | 24.8 °C | 24.4 °C | 19.6 °C | 12 °C | 5.1 °C | -1 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 4.3 days | 4 days | 3.6 days | 3.6 days | 2.2 days | 3.9 days | 3.4 days | 3 days | 2.9 days | 4 days | 4.3 days | 5.4 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 4 pm | 5 am | 11 pm | 8 am | 6 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 2 pm | 12 pm | 3 am | 6 pm | 3 am |
| Sunshine per day | 5.4 h | 6.6 h | 7.8 h | 8.4 h | 9 h | 9.2 h | 9.9 h | 10 h | 8.6 h | 6.9 h | 5.2 h | 4.5 h |
| Relative humidity | 80% | 77% | 74% | 75% | 76% | 81% | 82% | 82% | 82% | 81% | 81% | 82% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 4 µg/m³ | 5.5 µg/m³ | 5.7 µg/m³ | 6.5 µg/m³ | 6.5 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ | 7.4 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ | 6.6 µg/m³ | 4.7 µg/m³ | 3.9 µg/m³ | 4 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 7.9 µg/m³ | 10.2 µg/m³ | 10.1 µg/m³ | 11.6 µg/m³ | 12.1 µg/m³ | 14.6 µg/m³ | 12.6 µg/m³ | 11.4 µg/m³ | 10.7 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 7.7 µg/m³ | 7.6 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo
July
- Halifax Canada Day
1 July
- Busker Festival
August