january is the hottest month of the year in rio de janeiro, which means soaring temperatures, sticky humidity, long lines at local corner juice bars, and crowds at the beach or, in contrast, crowds wherever there is free air conditioning - temperatures can reach as high as 100 degrees fahrenheit, though they generally range between mid 70s to mid 80s.

south america's seasons are the opposite of north america's and europe's seaons, so it is easy to see why rio de janeiro is an appealing destination during the bitter cold months in these continents.