Malacatán weather in January

In January, Malacatán sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 30 mm of rain across 10.3 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 63% of the time in January, and the air most often feels comfortable.

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 Malacatán's 1st-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Malacatán's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
9th warmest
Overnight low
13°
1st coldest
Rainfall
30 mm
10.3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:41 AM – 5:54 PM
Cloud cover
35%
1st clearest
Wind
5 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
5.22 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.3
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month.

A typical January day in Malacatán reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 1°C cooler than February.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12313
22313
32313
42313
52313
62313
72313
82313
92313
102313
112313
122313
132313
142313
152313
162313
172313
182313
192313
202313
212313
222313
232313
242313
252313
262313
272313
282313
292313
302313
312313

Malacatán weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 9th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan23° / 13°3010.311.27.3
Feb24° / 13°3010.211.57.2
Mar24° / 14°6618.411.95.9
Apr24° / 15°13024.712.34.6
May24° / 16°31830.212.73.7
Jun23° / 16°42529.512.93.5
Jul23° / 15°32530.112.83.6
Aug23° / 15°38230.612.53.6
Sep23° / 16°46229.912.13.4
Oct23° / 15°33029.811.73.7
Nov23° / 14°11022.111.35.0
Dec23° / 13°4313.611.16.6

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 63% 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 13%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18614
28614
38614
48614
58614
68713
78713
88713
98713
108812
118812
128812
138713
148713
158713
168713
178614
188614
198614
208515
218614
228614
238614
248614
258614
268614
278614
288713
298713
308713
318713

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Malacatán gets around 30 mm of rain over 10.3 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 33% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
134
234
334
433
533
633
733
832
932
1032
1132
1232
1332
1432
1533
1633
1734
1834
1934
2034
2134
2234
2334
2434
2534
2634
2734
2834
2934
3034
3134

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the comfortable band about 50% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
142571
243561
345541
446531
548511
649501
750491
851481
952471
1053461
1153461
1254451
1354451
1454451
1553461
1654460
1753470
1853470
1952480
2051490
2150500
2249510
2348511
2448511
2547521
2647521
2747521
2847521
2947521
3047521
3147521

Wind in January

Winds average 5 km/h in January.

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 6:37 AM to 6:42 AM, and sunset from 5:45 PM to 6:02 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.16:375:45
211.16:385:46
311.16:385:46
411.16:395:47
511.16:395:48
611.16:395:48
711.26:395:49
811.26:405:49
911.26:405:50
1011.26:405:50
1111.26:405:51
1211.26:415:51
1311.26:415:52
1411.26:415:53
1511.26:415:53
1611.26:415:54
1711.26:415:54
1811.26:425:55
1911.26:425:55
2011.26:425:56
2111.26:425:56
2211.36:425:57
2311.36:425:58
2411.36:425:58
2511.36:425:59
2611.36:425:59
2711.36:426:00
2811.36:426:00
2911.36:426:01
3011.36:426:01
3111.36:426:02

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.22 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.48 kWh/m² to a high of 6.09 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 5.22 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.4Bright
275.4Bright
285.4Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Malacatán

In seasonPeak

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

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

Malacatán's monsoon runs May–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 January a good time to visit Malacatán?

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

7.3
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
5.6
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Malacatán in January

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

In January, Malacatán sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 13°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Malacatán in January

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 47 km away) is warmest in August at about 30°C and coldest in February 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
Jan29Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov30Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Malacatán 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 Malacatán peaks around April 9 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highApr 9UV 13Dec 14UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct10Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Malacatán 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 Malacatán is worst in May — around 40 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateMay 1039 µg/m³Feb 827 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan28Moderate
Feb27Moderate
Mar34Moderate
Apr38Poor
May40Poor
Jun29Moderate
Jul31Moderate
Aug30Moderate
Sep31Moderate
Oct29Moderate
Nov30Moderate
Dec29Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Malacatán?

Malacatán sits at 14.9°N, 92.1°W, 395 m above sea level, in Guatemala. The nearest listed city is Cacahoatán, 15 km away.

San MarcosCoatepequeSan Pedro SacatepéquezComitancilloColombaOstuncalco

Topography around Malacatán

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Malacatán has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 437 m around an average of 391 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,157 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,178 m.

The land around Malacatán is covered by trees (78%) within 3 km, trees (85%) within 16 km, and trees (59%) within 80 km.

3 km
437 m
16 km
2,157 m
80 km
4,178 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Cacahoatán 15 km · Tapachula 22 km · San Marcos 29 km · Coatepeque 31 km · San Pedro Sacatepéquez 32 km · Comitancillo 39 km · Colomba 42 km · Ostuncalco 47 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 Malacatán (14.9113°, -92.0579°, elevation 395 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).