Nice sits on the Côte d'Azur — the French Riviera — on the Mediterranean coast of southeastern France, sheltered by the foothills of the Alps that rise close behind it, at approximately 43.70°N, 7.27°E. It has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) with warm, dry summers and notably mild winters. Tucked away in the east of the coast, it is far less exposed to the Mistral than Marseille, giving it one of the gentlest, sunniest climates in France — the very quality that made it Europe's original winter resort.

Summer, from June to August, is warm and sunny but rarely extreme, with August the warmest month — average highs around 27–28°C — kept comfortable by sea breezes off the Mediterranean, which also warms to a pleasant 24°C or so for swimming. Rain is scarce in high summer, and the long, reliably fine days and abundant sunshine make it the heart of the tourist season along the Riviera.

Winter, from December to February, is mild and among the warmest in mainland France, with January the coolest month — average highs around 13°C and lows near 5°C, and daytime warmth that can reach the mid-teens in sunshine. Frost and snow are very rare on the coast, sheltered as it is from the Mistral, though the Alpine ski slopes lie only an hour or so inland. This gentle winter is exactly what drew aristocratic visitors here two centuries ago.

Nice is somewhat wetter than Marseille, receiving around 750–800 mm a year, but the rain is concentrated in autumn — October and November are the wettest, sometimes delivering spectacular, heavy downpours — while summer stays largely dry. The number of rainy days is low overall, and the coast enjoys more than 2,700 hours of sunshine a year. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Nice's fortune is its shelter: the mountains at its back and its position in the far east of the coast protect it from the cold Mistral that chills Marseille, giving it exceptionally mild, sunny winters. The main hazard is the autumn downpour, when moist southerly winds meeting the nearby Alps can unleash violent, flooding rains — but for most of the year the Riviera lives up to its reputation for warm, blue-sky weather.

To follow any single measurement in Nice more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.