Xalapa de Enríquez in Winter

In winter (December, January and February), Xalapa de Enríquez sees average daytime highs around 18°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 167 mm of rain over about 35 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 18°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.

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

Avg daytime high
18°C
coldest season of the year
Avg overnight low
9°C
Rainfall
167 mm
35 wet days
Avg wind
5 km/h
Travel score
5.6
best season of the year
Months
Dec · Jan · Feb

Temperature in Xalapa de Enríquez in Winter

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 18°C.

A typical winter day in Xalapa de Enríquez reaches about 18°C and drops to 9°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.

10°15°20°25°DecJanFeb

Xalapa de Enríquez 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
Jan17° / 5912.9115.3
Feb19° / 10°6011.511.35.8
Mar21° / 11°11916.511.95.5
Apr22° / 13°17219.712.45.2
May23° / 14°15922.312.94.9
Jun23° / 15°19323.713.24.4
Jul22° / 14°1201913.15.2
Aug22° / 14°1432212.74.9
Sep22° / 15°2052412.14.3
Oct21° / 13°1471811.55.1
Nov19° / 11°8013.211.15.6
Dec18° / 4810.110.85.8

Cloud cover in Winter

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time across winter.

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Chance of precipitation in Winter

Any precipitation

Xalapa de Enríquez gets around 167 mm of rain over 35 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

0%20%40%60%DecJanFeb

Humidity in Winter

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of winter feels dry — 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 5 km/h across winter.

0246810DecJanFeb

Sunrise & sunset in Winter

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 54 min in early December to 11 h 36 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 4.2 kWh/m².

0246DecJanFeb
Planning a trip in winter

Hazard calendar for Xalapa de Enríquez

In seasonPeak

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

Xalapa de Enríquez sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

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

Is winter a good time to visit Xalapa de Enríquez?

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.

5.6
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
1.9
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

winter is a reasonable time to visit Xalapa de Enríquez for sightseeing.

What to pack for Xalapa de Enríquez in Winter

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

In winter, Xalapa de Enríquez sees daytime highs around 18°C and nights near 9°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 35 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Xalapa de Enríquez in Winter

The nearest coast averages about 23°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 58 km away) is warmest in August at about 29°C and coldest in February near 23°C.

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

25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan23Refreshing
Feb23Refreshing
Mar24Refreshing
Apr25Warm
May27Warm
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov26Warm
Dec24Warm

UV index in Xalapa de Enríquez in Winter

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

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 Xalapa de Enríquez peaks around August 16 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 7 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highAug 16UV 13Dec 18UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb10Very high
Mar11Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May8Very high
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec7Very high

Air quality in Xalapa de Enríquez 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 Xalapa de Enríquez is worst in May — around 47 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.8× the cleanest month (October, 17 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateMay 1645 µg/m³Oct 2217 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan19Moderate
Feb21Moderate
Mar25Moderate
Apr34Moderate
May47Poor
Jun30Moderate
Jul30Moderate
Aug24Moderate
Sep21Moderate
Oct17Moderate
Nov18Moderate
Dec20Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Xalapa de Enríquez?

Xalapa de Enríquez sits at 19.5°N, 96.9°W, 1,396 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Banderilla, 7.0 km away.

Topography around Xalapa de Enríquez

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Xalapa de Enríquez has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 329 m around an average of 1,383 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,257 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,559 m.

The land around Xalapa de Enríquez is covered by artificial surfaces (70%) and trees (28%) within 3 km, trees (73%) within 16 km, and trees (53%) and grassland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
329 m
16 km
2,257 m
80 km
5,559 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
Winter weather nearby: Banderilla 7.0 km · Coatepec 10 km · Xico 16 km · Perote 34 km · Huatusco 43 km · Altotonga 43 km · Misantla 45 km · Coscomatepec de Bravo 53 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 Xalapa de Enríquez (19.5312°, -96.9159°, elevation 1,396 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.