Puerto Vallarta in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Puerto Vallarta sees average daytime highs around 25°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 83 mm of rain over about 8 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 25°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels comfortable.
Winter is Puerto Vallarta's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Puerto Vallarta's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 25°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 16°C
- Rainfall
- 83 mm
- 8 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.2
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Puerto Vallarta in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 25°C.
A typical winter day in Puerto Vallarta reaches about 25°C and drops to 16°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
Puerto Vallarta 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 | 25° / 16° | 34 | 3 | 10.9 | 8.2 |
| Feb | 26° / 16° | 24 | 2 | 11.3 | 8.4 |
| Mar | 27° / 17° | 10 | 0.9 | 11.9 | 8.5 |
| Apr | 28° / 18° | 4 | 0.6 | 12.5 | 7.9 |
| May | 29° / 20° | 16 | 3 | 13 | 6.8 |
| Jun | 28° / 22° | 200 | 18.8 | 13.2 | 4.7 |
| Jul | 28° / 22° | 285 | 28.6 | 13.1 | 3.6 |
| Aug | 28° / 22° | 342 | 29.8 | 12.7 | 3.4 |
| Sep | 27° / 22° | 333 | 28.3 | 12.1 | 3.5 |
| Oct | 27° / 21° | 149 | 19 | 11.5 | 5.2 |
| Nov | 27° / 19° | 35 | 5.4 | 11 | 7.6 |
| Dec | 25° / 17° | 25 | 2.9 | 10.8 | 8.1 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Puerto Vallarta gets around 83 mm of rain over 8 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 5 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
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.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.9 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Puerto Vallarta
None of Puerto Vallarta's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Puerto Vallarta sits in the eastern Pacific hurricane zone; the season peaks August–September.
Puerto Vallarta's monsoon runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Puerto Vallarta?
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 one of the better times to visit Puerto Vallarta for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Puerto Vallarta in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Puerto Vallarta sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 16°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 8 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Puerto Vallarta 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 15 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 26 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 | Warm |
| Feb | 24 | Warm |
| Mar | 24 | Warm |
| Apr | 25 | Warm |
| May | 26 | Warm |
| Jun | 28 | Tropical |
| Jul | 30 | Tropical |
| Aug | 30 | Tropical |
| Sep | 30 | Tropical |
| Oct | 30 | Tropical |
| Nov | 28 | Tropical |
| Dec | 26 | Warm |
UV index in Puerto Vallarta in Winter
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 Puerto Vallarta peaks around May 11 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 6 (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) | 7 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Level | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | High |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 11 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 7 | High |
| Dec | 6 | High |
Air quality in Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta is worst in May — around 49 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 7.7× the cleanest month (January, 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 | 8 | 19 | 49 | 28 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Poor | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | Good |
| Feb | 7 | Good |
| Mar | 8 | Good |
| Apr | 19 | Moderate |
| May | 49 | Poor |
| Jun | 28 | Moderate |
| Jul | 11 | Good |
| Aug | 9 | Good |
| Sep | 9 | Good |
| Oct | 8 | Good |
| Nov | 7 | Good |
| Dec | 7 | Good |
Where is Puerto Vallarta?
Puerto Vallarta sits at 20.6°N, 105.2°W, 21 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Ixtapa, 11 km away.
Topography around Puerto Vallarta
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Puerto Vallarta.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Puerto Vallarta has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 635 m around an average of 84 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,878 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,708 m.
The land around Puerto Vallarta is covered by water (38%), trees (36%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 3 km, trees (51%) and water (31%) within 16 km, and trees (57%) and water (31%) 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 Puerto Vallarta (20.617°, -105.2302°, elevation 21 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.