Salina Cruz in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Salina Cruz sees average daytime highs around 31°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 9 mm of rain over about 2 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 31°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 80% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels humid.
Winter is Salina Cruz's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Salina Cruz's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 31°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 21°C
- Rainfall
- 9 mm
- 2 wet days
- Avg wind
- 18 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.1
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Salina Cruz in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 31°C.
A typical winter day in Salina Cruz reaches about 31°C and drops to 21°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Salina Cruz
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 13 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.
Salina Cruz 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 | 30° / 21° | 3 | 0.8 | 11.1 | 6.5 |
| Feb | 31° / 21° | 3 | 0.8 | 11.5 | 5.7 |
| Mar | 33° / 22° | 4 | 1 | 11.9 | 4.8 |
| Apr | 34° / 24° | 6 | 1.7 | 12.4 | 3.8 |
| May | 34° / 25° | 67 | 9.9 | 12.7 | 3.0 |
| Jun | 33° / 25° | 233 | 17.8 | 12.9 | 2.9 |
| Jul | 34° / 25° | 122 | 11.6 | 12.9 | 3.0 |
| Aug | 34° / 25° | 163 | 14.6 | 12.5 | 2.8 |
| Sep | 32° / 25° | 206 | 17.4 | 12.1 | 3.1 |
| Oct | 32° / 24° | 84 | 8.6 | 11.6 | 4.1 |
| Nov | 32° / 23° | 15 | 1.7 | 11.2 | 5.3 |
| Dec | 31° / 21° | 4 | 0.8 | 11.1 | 6.2 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 80% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Salina Cruz gets around 9 mm of rain over 2 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 18 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 5.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Salina Cruz
None of Salina Cruz's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Salina Cruz sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Salina Cruz's monsoon runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Salina Cruz?
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 Salina Cruz for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Salina Cruz in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Salina Cruz sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
Sea temperature near Salina Cruz 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 offshore is warmest in August 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 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | Warm |
| Feb | 26 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 28 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 30 | Tropical |
| Jul | 30 | Tropical |
| Aug | 30 | Tropical |
| Sep | 30 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 27 | Warm |
| Dec | 27 | Warm |
UV index in Salina Cruz 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 Salina Cruz peaks around April 15 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 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) | 8 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 9 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in Salina Cruz 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 Salina Cruz is worst in May — around 32 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.9× the cleanest month (November, 8 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) | 8 | 9 | 14 | 25 | 32 | 21 | 27 | 20 | 18 | 11 | 8 | 8 |
| Level | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Good |
| Feb | 9 | Good |
| Mar | 14 | Moderate |
| Apr | 25 | Moderate |
| May | 32 | Moderate |
| Jun | 21 | Moderate |
| Jul | 27 | Moderate |
| Aug | 20 | Moderate |
| Sep | 18 | Moderate |
| Oct | 11 | Good |
| Nov | 8 | Good |
| Dec | 8 | Good |
Where is Salina Cruz?
Salina Cruz sits at 16.2°N, 95.2°W, 8 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Santo Domingo Tehuantepec, 17 km away.
Topography around Salina Cruz
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Salina Cruz.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Salina Cruz has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 214 m around an average of 36 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 691 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,791 m.
The land around Salina Cruz is covered by artificial surfaces (33%) and water (27%) within 3 km, water (44%) and trees (21%) within 16 km, and water (35%) and trees (34%) 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 Salina Cruz (16.1754°, -95.1942°, elevation 8 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.