La Esperanza weather in January

In January, La Esperanza sees average daytime highs of 21°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 30 mm of rain across 9.6 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 21°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 06 min at the start of January to 11 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is La Esperanza's 1st-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see La Esperanza's year-round climate.

Daytime high
21°
10th warmest
Overnight low
13°
1st coldest
Rainfall
30 mm
9.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:39 AM – 5:52 PM
Cloud cover
36%
1st clearest
Wind
5 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
5.19 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 21°C through the month.

A typical January day in La Esperanza reaches about 21°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 23°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12113
22113
32113
42113
52113
62113
72113
82113
92113
102113
112113
122113
132113
142113
152113
162113
172113
182113
192113
202113
212113
222113
232113
242113
252113
262113
272113
282113
292113
302113
312113

La Esperanza weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 10th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan21° / 13°309.611.27.0
Feb22° / 13°3910.311.56.8
Mar22° / 14°10920.511.95.3
Apr22° / 14°24726.912.34.0
May22° / 15°55030.412.73.5
Jun22° / 15°45229.412.93.4
Jul22° / 15°29728.812.83.7
Aug22° / 15°36330.112.53.5
Sep22° / 15°47929.812.13.3
Oct21° / 15°36229.711.73.5
Nov21° / 14°11721.211.34.9
Dec21° / 13°4311.811.16.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time in January, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 15%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18416
28416
38515
48515
58614
68614
78614
88614
98614
108614
118614
128614
138614
148614
158614
168614
178614
188614
198614
208614
218515
228515
238515
248515
258515
268515
278416
288416
298416
308416
318317

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

La Esperanza gets around 30 mm of rain over 9.6 wet days in January, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 31% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
130
229
329
429
529
628
728
828
928
1028
1128
1228
1328
1429
1529
1630
1730
1831
1932
2032
2133
2233
2334
2434
2534
2634
2734
2834
2934
3033
3133

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 84% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
18119
28218
38317
48317
58416
68515
78515
88614
98614
108614
118614
128713
138614
148614
158614
168614
178614
188614
198515
208515
218515
228416
238416
248317
258317
268317
278218
288218
298218
308218
318218

Wind in January

Winds average 5 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min at the start of January to 11 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:35 AM to 6:39 AM, and sunset from 5:43 PM to 6:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.16:355:43
211.16:365:44
311.16:365:44
411.16:365:45
511.16:375:46
611.26:375:46
711.26:375:47
811.26:385:47
911.26:385:48
1011.26:385:48
1111.26:385:49
1211.26:395:50
1311.26:395:50
1411.26:395:51
1511.26:395:51
1611.26:395:52
1711.26:395:52
1811.26:405:53
1911.26:405:53
2011.26:405:54
2111.26:405:55
2211.36:405:55
2311.36:405:56
2411.36:405:56
2511.36:405:57
2611.36:405:57
2711.36:405:58
2811.36:405:58
2911.36:405:59
3011.36:405:59
3111.36:396:00

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.19 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.46 kWh/m² to a high of 6.29 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 5.19 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.4Bright
275.4Bright
285.4Bright
295.4Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for La Esperanza

In seasonPeak

None of La Esperanza's seasonal hazards are active in January. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

La Esperanza's rainy season runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit La Esperanza?

Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

7.0
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
4.3
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

January is one of the better times to visit La Esperanza for general sightseeing.

What to pack for La Esperanza in January

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

In January, La Esperanza sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 13°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in La Esperanza in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in La Esperanza peaks around April 12 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 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 12UV 14Dec 16UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in La Esperanza in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in La Esperanza is worst in May — around 34 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 934 µg/m³Aug 1622 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan23Moderate
Feb22Moderate
Mar25Moderate
Apr34Moderate
May34Moderate
Jun23Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug22Moderate
Sep23Moderate
Oct23Moderate
Nov23Moderate
Dec25Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is La Esperanza?

La Esperanza sits at 14.9°N, 91.6°W, 2,465 m above sea level, in Guatemala. The nearest listed city is Quetzaltenango, 5.0 km away.

Topography around La Esperanza

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around La Esperanza has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 611 m around an average of 2,472 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,494 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,178 m.

The land around La Esperanza is covered by cropland (42%), artificial surfaces (29%) and trees (24%) within 3 km, trees (54%) and cropland (28%) within 16 km, and trees (70%) within 80 km.

3 km
611 m
16 km
2,494 m
80 km
4,178 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
January weather nearby: Quetzaltenango 5.0 km · Ostuncalco 6.0 km · San Andrés Xecul 9.0 km · Salcajá 11 km · Cantel 13 km · San Francisco El Alto 15 km · Totonicapán 22 km · San Pedro Sacatepéquez 24 km

Guatemala travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 43% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$6,598
2025
Happiness
6.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
49%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
23.4
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
22.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 510
Religion
Evangelical 46%Roman Catholic 42%none 11%

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 La Esperanza (14.8717°, -91.5614°, elevation 2,465 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. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).