Guatemala
Weather locations in Guatemala
Choose a location in Guatemala to view its available forecast products.
Guatemala illustrated weather map
5 mapped locations
Only locations with a verified coordinate are marked. The complete location list is below.
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Climate of Guatemala
Country climate guideGuatemala is a land of volcanoes and deep valleys, wedged between the Pacific to the south and the Caribbean to the north. The country is tropical but not uniform: highlands trap cool air in the basins, the Pacific slope is warm and dry, and the Caribbean lowlands are hot and soaked. Each of these is a different climate in miniature.
Main climate types
Köppen recognises at least four main groups: tropical rainforest over the Caribbean and Petén lowlands, tropical wet and dry across the Pacific slope and the inland valleys, tropical monsoon on part of the south coast, and a highland version of the wet and dry type that covers much of the central highlands. The young volcanic range running from Tajumulco to Pacaya is high enough to trap cloud on its flanks even in the dry months.
Temperatures
Altitude governs. Guatemala City, at about 1,500 metres, averages around 21 °C, with January highs near 24 °C and July highs near 21 °C; it never gets truly hot in the classic sense. The Pacific slope, at 300 to 600 metres, runs about 27 °C with a strong diurnal swing. Puerto Barrios on the Caribbean, at sea level, averages 27 °C year-round. Nights in the highland cities drop near 8 °C between December and February.
Rainfall
Guatemala has a pronounced wet season from May to October and a long dry one from November to April. Guatemala City receives about 1,000 mm a year, concentrated between June and September, while the Pacific slope at Retalhuleu gets close to 700 mm and the Caribbean lowlands 2,000 mm or more. The dry season on the Pacific side is reliable to the point of drought, and the country is prone to prolonged dry spells that affect the maize harvest.
When to go
The dry season, December to April, is the practical choice for most travellers, particularly for the highland towns and the Mayan sites of the highlands. Warm afternoons alternate with cool mornings in the mountains, and the coastal beaches are hot but crowded. The rainy season brings dramatic afternoon thunderstorms between June and September and lusher countryside, but also mud, and some roads slow badly. Semana Santa and the harvest festivals in late September are the year's best cultural weather.