Bacalar in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Bacalar sees average daytime highs around 29°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 94 mm of rain over about 26 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Bacalar's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Bacalar's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 29°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 20°C
- Rainfall
- 94 mm
- 26 wet days
- Avg wind
- 9 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.9
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Bacalar in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C.
A typical winter day in Bacalar reaches about 29°C and drops to 20°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Bacalar
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 8 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Bacalar 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 | 28° / 20° | 37 | 9.8 | 11 | 6.1 |
| Feb | 30° / 20° | 19 | 5.7 | 11.4 | 5.8 |
| Mar | 31° / 21° | 23 | 5.3 | 11.9 | 5.2 |
| Apr | 33° / 23° | 35 | 6.6 | 12.4 | 4.2 |
| May | 33° / 24° | 85 | 14.3 | 12.9 | 3.2 |
| Jun | 32° / 25° | 175 | 21.4 | 13.1 | 2.9 |
| Jul | 32° / 25° | 106 | 20.1 | 13 | 3.0 |
| Aug | 33° / 24° | 145 | 22.4 | 12.6 | 2.7 |
| Sep | 32° / 24° | 165 | 24.9 | 12.1 | 2.5 |
| Oct | 31° / 23° | 152 | 20.6 | 11.6 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 29° / 21° | 72 | 12.9 | 11.1 | 5.0 |
| Dec | 29° / 20° | 39 | 10.4 | 10.9 | 5.9 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Bacalar gets around 94 mm of rain over 26 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 9 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 hours 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 4.1 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Bacalar
None of Bacalar's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Bacalar sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Bacalar's rainy season runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Bacalar?
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 Bacalar for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Bacalar in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Bacalar sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 26 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Bacalar in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 26°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 29 km away) is warmest in September at about 30°C and coldest in January near 26°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) | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | Warm |
| Feb | 26 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 28 | Warm |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 30 | Tropical |
| Sep | 30 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 28 | Warm |
| Dec | 27 | Warm |
UV index in Bacalar in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bacalar peaks around April 12 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 7 (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) | 8 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Extreme |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 7 | High |
Air quality in Bacalar 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 Bacalar is worst in June — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.5× the cleanest month (December, 7 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) | 7 | 10 | 11 | 19 | 24 | 30 | 29 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 10 | Good |
| Mar | 11 | Good |
| Apr | 19 | Moderate |
| May | 24 | Moderate |
| Jun | 30 | Moderate |
| Jul | 29 | Moderate |
| Aug | 21 | Moderate |
| Sep | 15 | Moderate |
| Oct | 10 | Good |
| Nov | 7 | Good |
| Dec | 7 | Good |
Where is Bacalar?
Bacalar sits at 18.7°N, 88.4°W, 0 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Chetumal, 20 km away.
Topography around Bacalar
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Bacalar.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Bacalar has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 27 m around an average of 10 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 64 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 229 m.
The land around Bacalar is covered by trees (41%) and water (33%) within 3 km, trees (72%) within 16 km, and trees (64%) within 80 km.
Mexico travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 120 / 127 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 54% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $13,889
- 2025
- Happiness
- 7.0 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 43%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 24.9
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 12.8
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 440
- 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 Bacalar (18.6811°, -88.3933°, 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.