Climate and Weather of Guatemala
Guatemala has four types of climate. It is a country on the American continent that is both attached to two oceans. The western side borders the Pacific Ocean while the eastern regions of Guatemala lies next to the Gulf of Honduras. The central part of the country consists mainly of plateaus and mountains. As a result, Guatemala has a fairly diverse climate, however tropical climate types are dominant.The average annual temperature on the coast ranges from 25°C to 30°C. When you get to higher places in the country the temperature is much lower with only 15°C. In large parts of the country it is between 22°C and 25°C during the winter months and the mercury rises to over 30°C in summer.
In Guatemala they call the wet season winter and the dry season summer. The rainy season starts in May and lasts until October inland. At the coast it starts in May and lasts until December. The annual rainfall amounts range from 500 mm in the southwest to more than 3000 mm in some tropical rainforest locations and in the mountains and volcanoes.
Tropical storms and hurricanes can occur. They can come from both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific, although that chance is somewhat smaller. The hurricane season starts at the end of June and lasts until November. It is mainly the eastern coast that has the biggest chance to deal with a hurricane from time to time. As soon as such a tropical depression comes over land, it decreases quite quickly in strength.
Are you interested in more detailed information for various cities in Guatemala?
Please select the city you plan to visit, or one closest to your destination. For each selected city, you will see the following graphs:
1. Yearly average minimum and maximum temperatures
2. Monthly averages of precipitation throughout the year (rainfall, snow etc)
3. Monthly average hours of sunshine throughout the year
Additionally, some pages provide historical weather data such as humidity, wind speed, and water temperature.