Ahuachapan in Winter

In winter (December, January and February), Ahuachapan sees average daytime highs around 29°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 16 mm of rain over about 4 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.

Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 76% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Winter is Ahuachapan's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Ahuachapan's year-round climate.

Avg daytime high
29°C
3rd-warmest season
Avg overnight low
17°C
Rainfall
16 mm
4 wet days
Avg wind
9 km/h
Travel score
7.3
best season of the year
Months
Dec · Jan · Feb

Temperature in Ahuachapan in Winter

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C.

A typical winter day in Ahuachapan reaches about 29°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°DecJanFeb

Ahuachapan weather by month

How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 17°31.111.37.6
Feb30° / 17°31.211.56.8
Mar30° / 18°133.911.95.9
Apr30° / 19°5411.112.34.8
May29° / 20°21023.312.63.7
Jun28° / 20°28625.212.83.6
Jul29° / 20°14216.812.74.4
Aug29° / 20°20321.712.53.9
Sep28° / 19°32126.912.13.5
Oct28° / 19°23120.611.74.7
Nov28° / 18°375.811.46.7
Dec28° / 17°9211.27.4

Cloud cover in Winter

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 76% of the time across winter.

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Chance of precipitation in Winter

Any precipitation

Ahuachapan gets around 16 mm of rain over 4 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

0%10%20%30%DecJanFeb

Humidity in Winter

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of winter feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Wind in Winter

Winds average 9 km/h across winter.

051015DecJanFeb

Sunrise & sunset in Winter

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min in early December to 11 h 42 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AMDecJanFeb

Solar energy in Winter

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 5.6 kWh/m².

0246DecJanFeb
Planning a trip in winter

Hazard calendar for Ahuachapan

In seasonPeak

None of Ahuachapan's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.

Ahuachapan sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Ahuachapan's monsoon runs August–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Atlantic hurricane
Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is winter a good time to visit Ahuachapan?

Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.

7.3
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
8.9
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

winter is one of the better times to visit Ahuachapan for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Ahuachapan in Winter

From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In winter, Ahuachapan sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 17°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Ahuachapan in Winter

The nearest coast averages about 28°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 33 km away) is warmest in August at about 30°C and coldest in January near 28°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Ahuachapan in Winter

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Ahuachapan peaks around April 13 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near November 22 at about 9 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highApr 13UV 14Nov 22UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Ahuachapan in Winter

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Ahuachapan is worst in April — around 34 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (January, 16 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateApr 2233 µg/m³Jan 1416 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan16Moderate
Feb17Moderate
Mar21Moderate
Apr34Moderate
May32Moderate
Jun23Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug21Moderate
Sep21Moderate
Oct21Moderate
Nov20Moderate
Dec17Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Ahuachapan?

Ahuachapan sits at 13.9°N, 89.8°W, 770 m above sea level, in El Salvador. The nearest listed city is Chalchuapa, 19 km away.

ChalchuapaSonzacateSonsonateIzalcoJalpataguaSanta AnaAcajutlaJutiapa

Topography around Ahuachapan

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Ahuachapan.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ahuachapan has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 406 m around an average of 775 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,866 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,681 m.

The land around Ahuachapan is covered by trees (62%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 3 km, trees (72%) within 16 km, and trees (44%), water (24%) and grassland (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
406 m
16 km
1,866 m
80 km
2,681 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
Winter weather nearby: Chalchuapa 19 km · Sonzacate 25 km · Sonsonate 26 km · Izalco 27 km · Jalpatagua 30 km · Santa Ana 32 km · Acajutla 37 km · Jutiapa 40 km

El Salvador travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
115 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 41% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,767
2025
Happiness
6.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
7.9
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
20.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 523
Religion
Roman Catholic 44%Protestant 40%none 16%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Ahuachapan (13.924°, -89.8434°, elevation 770 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.