Roatan in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Roatan sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 403 mm of rain over about 48 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the 2nd-wettest season.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Roatan's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. Roatan has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Roatan's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 403 mm
- 48 wet days
- Avg wind
- 21 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.1
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Roatan in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.
A typical winter day in Roatan reaches about 26°C and drops to 24°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Roatan
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Roatan 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 | 26° / 24° | 164 | 17.3 | 11.1 | 6.0 |
| Feb | 26° / 25° | 64 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 6.9 |
| Mar | 26° / 25° | 54 | 9.5 | 11.9 | 7.4 |
| Apr | 27° / 26° | 27 | 4.9 | 12.4 | 7.8 |
| May | 28° / 27° | 44 | 7.6 | 12.8 | 6.8 |
| Jun | 28° / 27° | 56 | 9.9 | 13 | 5.8 |
| Jul | 28° / 27° | 61 | 13.6 | 12.9 | 5.8 |
| Aug | 28° / 27° | 82 | 15.4 | 12.5 | 5.2 |
| Sep | 29° / 27° | 121 | 17.8 | 12.1 | 4.6 |
| Oct | 28° / 26° | 309 | 23 | 11.6 | 4.4 |
| Nov | 27° / 25° | 310 | 22.5 | 11.2 | 4.7 |
| Dec | 26° / 25° | 174 | 19.8 | 11 | 5.5 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Roatan gets around 403 mm of rain over 48 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 21 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min in early December to 11 h 36 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 4.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Roatan
In winter, Roatan overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Roatan sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Roatan's monsoon runs October–January, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Roatan?
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 Roatan for sightseeing.
What to pack for Roatan in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Roatan sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 24°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes, sun protection and a windbreaker. About 48 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Roatan in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 27°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in September at about 30°C and coldest in February near 27°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 28 | Warm |
| May | 28 | Tropical |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 30 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 28 | Tropical |
| Dec | 27 | Warm |
UV index in Roatan in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages 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 Roatan peaks around March 22 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 8 (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) | 9 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 8 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Very high |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 9 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in Roatan 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 Roatan is worst in July — around 33 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 5.9× the cleanest month (December, 6 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) | 6 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 22 | 30 | 33 | 22 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | Good |
| Feb | 7 | Good |
| Mar | 9 | Good |
| Apr | 18 | Moderate |
| May | 22 | Moderate |
| Jun | 30 | Moderate |
| Jul | 33 | Moderate |
| Aug | 22 | Moderate |
| Sep | 13 | Moderate |
| Oct | 10 | Good |
| Nov | 6 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Where is Roatan?
Roatan sits at 16.3°N, 86.5°W, 0 m above sea level, in Honduras. The nearest listed city is La Ceiba, 67 km away.
Topography around Roatan
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Roatan.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Roatan has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 224 m around an average of 36 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 224 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,182 m.
The land around Roatan is covered by trees (51%) and water (43%) within 3 km, water (91%) within 16 km, and water (85%) 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 Roatan (16.3155°, -86.5397°, 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.