João Pessoa sits just south of the equator and has a tropical climate with warm temperatures year-round (typically 24–32°C). The main rainy season runs from March to July, when the interior of Paraíba receives heavy rainfall — the city itself gets some rain but its beaches and the surrounding coastal strip stay drier than Recife or Fortaleza.
The best time to visit is August to February, when the weather is dry and sunny and the beaches are at their most appealing. The city's Carnival in February is a lively and relatively uncrowded alternative to the mega-events in Recife and Salvador. The Micarande festival in April is a significant off-season Carnival that draws visitors from across the northeast.