Next 7 departures
- TueOct 13
CautionNear 90°F near Baton Rouge around 1:45 PM CDT.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Mostly cloudy79°F Columbus8:30 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers75°F Houston9:30 AM CDT Slight chance of thunderstorms80°F Beaumont11 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers83°F Texas–Louisiana line11:15 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers86°F Lake Charles11:45 AM CDT Slight chance of thunderstorms85°F Lafayette12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny87°F Baton Rouge1:45 PM CDT Sunny90°F New Orleans3 PM CDT Sunny88°F - WedOct 14
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 76–89°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers78°F Columbus8:30 AM CDT Partly sunny76°F Houston9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny80°F Beaumont11 AM CDT Sunny83°F Texas–Louisiana line11:15 AM CDT Sunny87°F Lake Charles11:45 AM CDT Sunny85°F Lafayette12:45 PM CDT Sunny87°F Baton Rouge1:45 PM CDT Sunny89°F New Orleans3 PM CDT Sunny86°F - ThuOct 15
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 71–88°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Partly sunny71°F Columbus8:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny73°F Houston9:30 AM CDT Sunny79°F Beaumont11 AM CDT Sunny81°F Texas–Louisiana line11:15 AM CDT Sunny84°F Lake Charles11:45 AM CDT Sunny83°F Lafayette12:45 PM CDT Sunny86°F Baton Rouge1:45 PM CDT Sunny88°F New Orleans3 PM CDT Sunny85°F - FriOct 16
CautionGusts to 35 mph near Austin around 7 AM CDT.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Partly sunny68°F Columbus8:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny70°F Houston9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny77°F Beaumont11 AM CDT Mostly sunny77°F Texas–Louisiana line11:15 AM CDT Sunny82°F Lake Charles11:45 AM CDT Sunny82°F Lafayette12:45 PM CDT Sunny86°F Baton Rouge1:45 PM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers88°F New Orleans3 PM CDT Mostly sunny85°F - SatOct 17
CautionGusts to 30 mph near Austin around 7 AM CDT.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Partly sunny60°F Columbus8:30 AM CDT Partly sunny62°F Houston9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny66°F Beaumont11 AM CDT Mostly sunny67°F Texas–Louisiana line11:15 AM CDT Sunny71°F Lake Charles11:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny70°F Lafayette12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny73°F Baton Rouge1:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny76°F New Orleans3 PM CDT Mostly sunny74°F - SunOct 18
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 56–79°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Mostly sunny56°F Columbus8:30 AM CDT Partly sunny58°F Houston9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny64°F Beaumont11 AM CDT Mostly sunny65°F Texas–Louisiana line11:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny70°F Lake Charles11:45 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers70°F Lafayette12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny76°F Baton Rouge1:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny79°F New Orleans3 PM CDT Partly sunny75°F - MonOct 19
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 60–83°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Partly sunny60°F Columbus8:30 AM CDT Partly sunny63°F Houston9:30 AM CDT Partly sunny70°F Beaumont11 AM CDT Partly sunny71°F Texas–Louisiana line11:15 AM CDT Partly sunny75°F Lake Charles11:45 AM CDT Partly sunny76°F Lafayette12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny80°F Baton Rouge1:45 PM CDT Partly sunny83°F New Orleans3 PM CDT Partly sunny78°F
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Austin (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Austin, TXStart 535 ftelevation
- Columbus, TXMile 90 · 1 h 25 min 203 ftelevation
- Houston, TXMile 162 · 2 h 31 min 36 ftelevation
- Beaumont, TXMile 249 · 3 h 55 min 18 ftelevation
- Texas–Louisiana lineState line · Mile 274 · 4 h 16 min 3 ftelevation
- Lake Charles, LAMile 304 · 4 h 45 min 12 ftelevation
- Lafayette, LAMile 376 · 5 h 50 min 36 ftelevation
- Baton Rouge, LAMile 429 · 6 h 41 min 49 ftelevation
- New Orleans, LAMile 510 · 8 h 4 min 11 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rain, at Austin, Houston and New Orleans.
| Month | Austin 670 ft | Houston 95 ft | New Orleans New Orleans Airport station · 4 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Precip (in) | High / low °F | Precip (in) | High / low °F | Precip (in) | |
| Jan | 63° / 42° | 2.6 | 64° / 44° | 3.8 | 63° / 46° | 5.2 |
| Feb | 67° / 46° | 1.9 | 68° / 48° | 3.0 | 66° / 50° | 4.1 |
| Mar | 73° / 52° | 2.9 | 74° / 54° | 3.5 | 72° / 55° | 4.4 |
| Apr | 80° / 59° | 2.4 | 80° / 60° | 4.0 | 79° / 62° | 5.2 |
| May | 87° / 67° | 5.0 | 87° / 68° | 5.0 | 85° / 69° | 5.6 |
| Jun | 93° / 73° | 3.7 | 92° / 74° | 6.0 | 90° / 75° | 7.6 |
| Jul | 97° / 75° | 2.0 | 95° / 76° | 3.8 | 91° / 77° | 6.8 |
| Aug | 98° / 75° | 2.7 | 95° / 75° | 4.8 | 91° / 77° | 6.9 |
| Sep | 91° / 70° | 3.5 | 90° / 71° | 4.7 | 88° / 74° | 5.1 |
| Oct | 83° / 61° | 3.9 | 83° / 61° | 5.5 | 81° / 64° | 3.7 |
| Nov | 72° / 51° | 2.9 | 73° / 52° | 3.9 | 71° / 54° | 3.9 |
| Dec | 64° / 43° | 2.7 | 65° / 46° | 4.0 | 65° / 48° | 4.8 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: AUSTIN-CAMP MABRY (USW00013958, 670 ft); HOUSTON INTERCONT AP (USW00012960, 95 ft); NEW ORLEANS INTL AP (USW00012916, 4 ft). Precipitation is the monthly total of rain and melted snow, in inches. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Texas and Louisiana rather than repeat them.
- Texas · TxDOTDriveTexas road conditions
- Louisiana · DOTD511LA road conditions
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Austin to New Orleans with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Austin to New Orleans?
510 miles, about 8 hours of driving without stops, by way of TX-71 and I-10. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the wettest month in New Orleans?
June. The nearest long-term NOAA station, New Orleans Airport (4 ft), averages 7.6 inches of rain and melted snow that month (1991–2020 normals).
How cold is New Orleans in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, New Orleans Airport (4 ft), averages a high of 63°F and a low of 46°F in January (1991–2020 normals).