Climate and Weather of Venezuela
Due to its location just above the equator and the many elevation changes, Venezuela experiences a mix of different climate types, ranging from a tropical rainforest climate in the northeast to desert and maritime climates in the southwest. Mountainous areas are significantly cooler.Temperatures in the lowlands and coastal areas of Venezuela range between 25°C and 34°C during the day and 16°C to 24°C during the night. In the mountains and high plains, it can get cooler, with, for example, the popular city of Mérida having a fairly constant average daytime temperature ranging from 19°C to 24°C.
Venezuela has areas with relatively little precipitation, such as the extreme northeast. The wettest areas can be found in the northeast in the Orinoco Delta and south and southwest of the Highlands of Guyana. Most wet areas have a rainy season that runs from May or June through October or November. This period is called the rainy season, wet season, or winter. This means the name winter refers to the amount of precipitation within a month and not the position of the sun.
The islands off the coast of Venezuela have no real wet or dry season. For example, the island of Isla Margarita shows a fairly even pattern of precipitation throughout the year, with a slight increase in the months of November, December, and January.
Although Venezuela shows quite a few differences in weather types, there is also a commonality. The first months of the year are drier than the other months. In some places, the dry season begins as early as November, while in others, it does not begin until early January.
It is essential to note that Venezuela has been facing significant political and social unrest, which has resulted in high levels of crime and violence. The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 4 travel advisory for Venezuela, warning U.S. citizens not to travel to the country due to crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure, and arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens. Therefore, visitors to Venezuela should take extra precautions, including avoiding high-crime areas, remaining vigilant, and staying informed about the latest security situation.
The best time to consider for almost all of Venezuela is from January to mid-March. We encourage you to visit our monthly pages for a comprehensive overview of the weather for each month or select a city or region you would like to travel to on the page.
Are you interested in more detailed information for various cities in Venezuela?
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.