Compostela in Winter

In winter (December, January and February), Compostela sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 61 mm of rain over about 6 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the 3rd-wettest season.

Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Winter is Compostela's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Compostela's year-round climate.

Avg daytime high
26°C
coldest season of the year
Avg overnight low
15°C
Rainfall
61 mm
6 wet days
Avg wind
6 km/h
Travel score
8.3
best season of the year
Months
Dec · Jan · Feb

Temperature in Compostela in Winter

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.

A typical winter day in Compostela reaches about 26°C and drops to 15°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.

10°15°20°25°30°DecJanFeb

Compostela 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.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 14°222.410.98.3
Feb26° / 15°191.811.38.4
Mar27° / 15°81.311.88.4
Apr28° / 16°30.812.57.7
May29° / 18°153.6136.5
Jun29° / 21°19818.813.34.4
Jul28° / 22°34429.613.23.1
Aug28° / 22°41730.412.73.0
Sep28° / 22°36129.112.13.1
Oct28° / 21°13318.811.54.7
Nov27° / 18°224.5117.6
Dec26° / 15°212.110.78.3

Cloud cover in Winter

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time across winter.

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Chance of precipitation in Winter

Any precipitation

Compostela gets around 61 mm of rain over 6 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

0%10%20%30%DecJanFeb

Humidity in Winter

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Wind in Winter

Winds average 6 km/h across winter.

0246810DecJanFeb

Sunrise & sunset in Winter

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 48 min in early December to 11 h 30 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AMDecJanFeb

Solar energy in Winter

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.9 kWh/m².

0246DecJanFeb
Planning a trip in winter

Hazard calendar for Compostela

In seasonPeak

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

Compostela sits in the eastern Pacific hurricane zone; the season peaks August–September.

Compostela's monsoon runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is winter a good time to visit Compostela?

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.

8.3
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
7.7
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

winter is one of the better times to visit Compostela for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Compostela in Winter

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

In winter, Compostela sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 15°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 6 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Compostela in Winter

The nearest coast averages about 25°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 51 km away) is warmest in August at about 30°C and coldest in March near 24°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

22°24°26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan25Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar24Warm
Apr25Warm
May27Warm
Jun28Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct30Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec26Warm

UV index in Compostela in Winter

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Compostela peaks around May 11 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 6 (high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highHighMay 11UV 13Dec 17UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan7High
Feb10Very high
Mar12Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov7High
Dec6High

Air quality in Compostela in Winter

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Compostela is worst in May — around 24 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (February, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 1823 µg/m³Feb 158 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb8Good
Mar8Good
Apr11Good
May24Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul10Good
Aug10Good
Sep9Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Compostela?

Compostela sits at 21.2°N, 104.9°W, 855 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Xalisco, 23 km away.

Topography around Compostela

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Compostela has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 115 m around an average of 865 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,712 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,631 m.

The land around Compostela is covered by grassland (40%) and cropland (29%) within 3 km, trees (68%) within 16 km, and trees (63%) within 80 km.

3 km
115 m
16 km
1,712 m
80 km
2,631 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
Winter weather nearby: Xalisco 23 km · Tepic 30 km · Ixtlán del Río 60 km · San José del Valle 63 km · Ixtapa 66 km · Mezcales 69 km · Sayulita 69 km · Bucerías 70 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
Catholic 78%no religion 11%other Evangelical Churches 8%Jehovah Witness 1%

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 Compostela (21.2373°, -104.9006°, elevation 855 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.