Zacapa weather in January

In January, Zacapa sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 36 mm of rain across 10.1 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in January, and the air most often feels humid.

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 Zacapa's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zacapa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
11th warmest
Overnight low
17°
1st coldest
Rainfall
36 mm
10.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:31 AM – 5:43 PM
Cloud cover
60%
4th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
3.85 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.9
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month.

A typical January day in Zacapa reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 2°C cooler than February.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12417
22417
32417
42417
52417
62417
72417
82417
92417
102417
112417
122417
132416
142416
152416
162416
172416
182416
192516
202516
212516
222516
232516
242517
252517
262517
272517
282517
292517
302517
312517

How January really feels in Zacapa

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

January sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Zacapa weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 17°3610.111.26.9
Feb26° / 17°267.911.56.9
Mar29° / 18°297.711.96.2
Apr31° / 20°469.912.34.5
May31° / 21°14820.112.73.4
Jun30° / 21°26427.612.92.9
Jul28° / 20°19128.312.83.4
Aug29° / 20°20227.612.53.3
Sep29° / 20°25028.112.13.1
Oct27° / 20°17123.111.74.3
Nov25° / 18°7513.811.35.9
Dec25° / 17°4310.711.16.7

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 25% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 53%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24258
34357
44357
54357
64456
74456
84555
94555
104654
114654
124753
134753
144753
154852
164852
174852
184852
194852
204852
214951
224951
234951
244951
255050
265050
275050
285149
295149
305347
315347

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Zacapa gets around 36 mm of rain over 10.1 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 32% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
135
235
335
435
535
635
735
835
934
1034
1133
1233
1333
1432
1532
1632
1732
1831
1931
2031
2130
2230
2330
2429
2529
2629
2729
2830
2930
3030
3130

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the humid band about 55% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 27% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13115234
23115234
33125233
43125233
53125332
64125331
74135231
84135330
94145329
104155328
114155427
124165327
134165426
144175326
154175326
164175326
174185325
184185325
193185425
203185425
213185425
223185425
233185425
242175625
252165725
262165725
272155825
282145925
292145925
302136124
312136124

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 6:27 AM to 6:31 AM, and sunset from 5:35 PM to 5:51 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.16:275:35
211.16:285:36
311.16:285:36
411.16:285:37
511.16:295:37
611.16:295:38
711.16:295:38
811.26:305:39
911.26:305:40
1011.26:305:40
1111.26:305:41
1211.26:315:41
1311.26:315:42
1411.26:315:42
1511.26:315:43
1611.26:315:43
1711.26:315:44
1811.26:325:45
1911.26:325:45
2011.26:325:46
2111.26:325:46
2211.26:325:47
2311.36:325:47
2411.36:325:48
2511.36:325:48
2611.36:325:49
2711.36:325:49
2811.36:325:50
2911.36:325:50
3011.36:325:51
3111.36:315:51

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 3.85 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.67 kWh/m² to a high of 6.08 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 3.85 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.7Moderate
23.7Moderate
33.7Moderate
43.7Moderate
53.7Moderate
63.7Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.8Moderate
103.8Moderate
113.8Moderate
123.8Moderate
133.8Moderate
143.8Moderate
153.9Moderate
163.9Moderate
173.9Moderate
183.9Moderate
193.9Moderate
203.9Moderate
214.0Moderate
224.0Moderate
234.0Moderate
244.0Bright
254.0Bright
264.0Bright
274.1Bright
284.1Bright
294.1Bright
304.2Bright
314.2Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Zacapa

In seasonPeak

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

Zacapa's monsoon runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Zacapa?

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

6.9
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.1
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Zacapa for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Zacapa in January

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

In January, Zacapa sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 17°C. Worth packing: light clothes and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

UV index in Zacapa in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks 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 Zacapa peaks around April 12 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 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 15UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Zacapa 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 Zacapa is worst in April — around 42 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 4.0× the cleanest month (December, 10 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateGoodApr 2141 µg/m³Dec 2010 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb12Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr42Poor
May37Poor
Jun22Moderate
Jul22Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Zacapa?

Zacapa sits at 15.0°N, 89.5°W, 232 m above sea level, in Guatemala. The nearest listed city is Chiquimula, 19 km away.

San Luis JilotepequeCopán RuinasEsquipulasPanzosGuastatoyaJalapa

Topography around Zacapa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zacapa has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 321 m around an average of 242 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,552 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,990 m.

The land around Zacapa is covered by grassland (31%), shrubs (24%) and trees (20%) within 3 km, shrubs (40%) and trees (30%) within 16 km, and trees (66%) within 80 km.

3 km
321 m
16 km
1,552 m
80 km
2,990 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Chiquimula 19 km · Gualán 25 km · San Luis Jilotepeque 42 km · Copán Ruinas 42 km · Esquipulas 49 km · Panzos 49 km · Guastatoya 60 km · Jalapa 62 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 Zacapa (14.9687°, -89.5273°, elevation 232 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).