Zacapa weather in May

In May, Zacapa sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 148 mm of rain across 20.1 wet days and about 12.7 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Zacapa's 7th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zacapa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
21°
12th coldest
Rainfall
148 mm
20.1 wet days
Daylight
12 h 42 min
5:34 AM – 6:15 PM
Cloud cover
72%
7th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.4
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month.

A typical May day in Zacapa reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 1°C warmer than June.

15°20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13120
23121
33121
43121
53121
63121
73121
83121
93121
103121
113121
123121
133121
143121
153121
163121
173121
183121
193121
203121
213121
223121
233121
243121
253121
263121
273121
283121
293121
303121
313121

How May really feels in Zacapa

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 31 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
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Zacapa weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 6th-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 May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 70%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14555
24555
34456
44258
54258
64159
73961
83961
93763
103763
113565
123466
133268
143268
153070
162872
172872
182773
192575
202575
212377
222377
232278
242278
252278
262080
272080
282080
291981
301783
311783

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Zacapa gets around 148 mm of rain over 20.1 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 65% and peaks near 83% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
143
244
345
447
549
651
752
854
955
1057
1158
1260
1361
1463
1565
1666
1767
1869
1970
2071
2172
2273
2374
2475
2577
2678
2779
2880
2981
3082
3183

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the muggy band about 73% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 88% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1222724
2221725
3220735
4119746
5118747
6117748
7116758
8115759
91147510
101147411
111137412
121137412
131127413
141127314
151117315
161107415
17197416
18197416
19187417
20177517
21177517
22167518
23167419
24057619
25057520
26047521
27047422
28037324
29037225
30027226
31027028

Wind in May

Winds average 5 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 4 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
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:39 AM to 5:31 AM, and sunset from 6:11 PM to 6:20 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:396:11
212.55:396:11
312.65:386:12
412.65:386:12
512.65:386:12
612.65:376:12
712.65:376:13
812.65:366:13
912.65:366:13
1012.65:366:13
1112.65:356:14
1212.75:356:14
1312.75:346:14
1412.75:346:15
1512.75:346:15
1612.75:346:15
1712.75:336:15
1812.75:336:16
1912.75:336:16
2012.75:336:16
2112.75:326:17
2212.75:326:17
2312.85:326:17
2412.85:326:18
2512.85:326:18
2612.85:326:18
2712.85:316:19
2812.85:316:19
2912.85:316:19
3012.85:316:20
3112.85:316:20

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.66 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 — May's 5.66 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Intense
26.0Intense
36.0Bright
46.0Bright
55.9Bright
65.9Bright
75.9Bright
85.8Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.4Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Zacapa

In seasonPeak

In May, Zacapa sits inside its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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 May a good time to visit Zacapa?

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

3.4
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
5.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Zacapa.

What to pack for Zacapa in May

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

In May, Zacapa sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 20 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Zacapa in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 12 (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 May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May 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
May 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).