Copán Ruinas in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Copán Ruinas sees average daytime highs around 23°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 153 mm of rain over about 42 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 23°C in early December to 25°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels humid.
Winter is Copán Ruinas's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Copán Ruinas's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 23°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 15°C
- Rainfall
- 153 mm
- 42 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.1
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Copán Ruinas in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 23°C in early December to 25°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Copán Ruinas reaches about 23°C and drops to 15°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
Copán Ruinas 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.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23° / 15° | 59 | 15.4 | 11.2 | 5.9 |
| Feb | 24° / 16° | 38 | 10.9 | 11.5 | 6.7 |
| Mar | 26° / 16° | 35 | 9.9 | 11.9 | 6.8 |
| Apr | 28° / 18° | 49 | 10.7 | 12.3 | 5.8 |
| May | 29° / 19° | 170 | 20 | 12.7 | 4.3 |
| Jun | 28° / 19° | 288 | 26.1 | 12.9 | 3.7 |
| Jul | 26° / 19° | 207 | 26.1 | 12.8 | 4.1 |
| Aug | 27° / 19° | 227 | 26.1 | 12.5 | 4.0 |
| Sep | 27° / 19° | 310 | 27.3 | 12.1 | 3.7 |
| Oct | 26° / 18° | 200 | 24 | 11.7 | 4.4 |
| Nov | 24° / 17° | 93 | 17.1 | 11.3 | 5.5 |
| Dec | 23° / 16° | 56 | 15.7 | 11.1 | 5.8 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Copán Ruinas gets around 153 mm of rain over 42 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 8 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
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.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.4 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Copán Ruinas
None of Copán Ruinas's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Copán Ruinas's rainy season runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Copán Ruinas?
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.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Copán Ruinas for sightseeing.
What to pack for Copán Ruinas in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Copán Ruinas sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 15°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 42 days see rain.
UV index in Copán Ruinas in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Copán Ruinas peaks around April 11 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 10 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Very high |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 13 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 10 | Very high |
| Dec | 9 | Very high |
Air quality in Copán Ruinas in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Copán Ruinas 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 11 | 12 | 15 | 42 | 37 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Good | Good | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 12 | Good |
| Mar | 15 | Moderate |
| Apr | 42 | Poor |
| May | 37 | Poor |
| Jun | 22 | Moderate |
| Jul | 22 | Moderate |
| Aug | 18 | Moderate |
| Sep | 17 | Moderate |
| Oct | 14 | Moderate |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 10 | Good |
Where is Copán Ruinas?
Copán Ruinas sits at 14.8°N, 89.2°W, 0 m above sea level, in Honduras. The nearest listed city is Esquipulas, 37 km away.
Topography around Copán Ruinas
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Copán Ruinas.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Copán Ruinas has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 550 m around an average of 710 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,064 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,990 m.
The land around Copán Ruinas is covered by trees (67%) within 3 km, trees (80%) within 16 km, and trees (66%) and grassland (21%) within 80 km.
Honduras travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 120 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 46% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $3,598
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.1 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 66%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 31.4
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 16.1
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- High
- EF EPI 553
- Religion
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 Copán Ruinas (14.8394°, -89.1558°, elevation 0 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.