Paris is the capital city of France and covers an area of 460 square miles. Situated on the banks of river Seine, at the center of the Ile -de- France, Paris is home to about 10 million people. The Ile-de-France region gets the least amount of rainfall in the whole of France. However, there can be unexpected showers in Paris at any time of the year.
The North Atlantic drift affects the climate of Paris. As a result Paris has a marine west coast climate. The city enjoys temperate climate throughout the year and does not have extremely high or low temperatures. Summer in Paris is generally warm with the mercury touching 24 C (75 F), and the temperature in winter tends to be around 1 C (34 F). The highest temperature recorded in Paris was in the year 1948 on the 28th of July. It was found to be 40.4 C (104.7 F), and the lowest was -23.9 C (-11.0 F) recorded in the year 1879 on the 10th of December.
Spring is a wonderful time to visit any place and Paris is no exception, though, it can turn wet sometimes. The magnificent avenues and shady trees enhance the charms of Paris. The average day time temperature is the highest from May to September with the mercury showing 25 �C (76 �F). Winters especially from December to February can be quite cold with the mercury falling to 3 �C (37 �F).The winter season is also accompanied by cold winds.
In Paris, rainfall can occur at any time of the year. The average yearly precipitation is around 641.6mm (25.2 inches). The months of September, October and November receive the least rainfall (about 2.7 inches), while the period ranging from April to July receives the highest rainfall (about 10 inches).
Paris is pleasant to visit all round the year and rarely receives any snowfall. Sometimes the coldest months may receive snowfall usually lasting only a day. There has been one unique instance of snowfall in April that may have been caused due to changes in the global weather patterns.
Paris weather can be described as mild and could be considered comparable to a city like San Francisco. Without the Fog! Late Spring and early Autumn are the best seasons to visit Paris, the weather is sunny and while average daytime temperatures are usually in the 50s – 60s, in early April and late November you can expect some days in the 40s. Nonetheless, on good days you’ll also have weather in the 60s and 70s. The true attraction to visiting at this time of year is the opportunity to see enjoy the city more or less and the Parisians enjoy it, just before or just after the hordes of tourists have come and gone. On the downside, you’ll see some rainy days, but apart from sitting on the terrace of a café or strolling in the Park, you may not feel as if you’ve missed much due to rain, because Paris has a great deal to offer indoors.
That leaves us with Summer and Winter. These seasons represent the two extremes of the Paris tourist experience. Summer is of course the high season for tourists, during this period the waiters and waitress will be at their surliest, the lines for the Louvre and other museums will be at their longest, and the lines at the taxi queues on rainy days will be unimaginably long. But the weather is frequently nice with days in the 70s and occasionally the low 80s. Thunderstorms can be expected from time to time as well as hot spells where the temperature can be in the 90s. Having said all that, Summer is a fine time to visit, especially early June when the weather is just about perfect and the tourists haven’t yet begun to arrive in mass. If you’re not bothered by the crowds, the only real drawback for a summer visit to Paris is the fact that many businesses close in August for the annual vacation period.
From November up until the end of March, Paris is mostly full of Parisians. This is a fine time to visit if your primary activities will be shopping, dining, nightlife and entertainment. Although the weather can be cold, it is not often below freezing, snow is rare enough that it’s a cause for merriment and for rain, you’re likely to see just as much in the Summer as in the Winter. While Christmas and New Year provide a good opportunity to visit the city and the Christmas decorations, masses and New Year’s parties are a worthwhile reason to visit Paris, that’s the time of year when prices are likely to be highest.
And if you have the time while you’re visiting Paris, be sure to take the elevator all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower – you won’t regret it!