Zacatlán in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Zacatlán sees average daytime highs around 17°C and overnight lows near 7°C, with 187 mm of rain over about 37 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 17°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Zacatlán's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Zacatlán's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 17°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 7°C
- Rainfall
- 187 mm
- 37 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.3
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Zacatlán in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 17°C.
A typical winter day in Zacatlán reaches about 17°C and drops to 7°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
Zacatlán 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 | 17° / 7° | 64 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 5.1 |
| Feb | 19° / 8° | 64 | 12 | 11.3 | 5.6 |
| Mar | 20° / 9° | 97 | 16.5 | 11.9 | 5.5 |
| Apr | 22° / 11° | 135 | 19.4 | 12.4 | 5.2 |
| May | 23° / 12° | 139 | 20.8 | 12.9 | 5.2 |
| Jun | 22° / 13° | 279 | 24.2 | 13.2 | 4.3 |
| Jul | 21° / 13° | 269 | 29.5 | 13.1 | 3.6 |
| Aug | 21° / 13° | 275 | 28.9 | 12.7 | 3.6 |
| Sep | 21° / 13° | 319 | 26.7 | 12.1 | 3.8 |
| Oct | 20° / 11° | 248 | 20.7 | 11.5 | 4.6 |
| Nov | 18° / 9° | 118 | 15.3 | 11.1 | 5.1 |
| Dec | 17° / 7° | 60 | 12.4 | 10.8 | 5.3 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Zacatlán gets around 187 mm of rain over 37 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — 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 54 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 4.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Zacatlán
None of Zacatlán's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Zacatlán's rainy season runs June–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Zacatlán?
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 Zacatlán for sightseeing.
What to pack for Zacatlán in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Zacatlán sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 7°C. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 37 days see rain.
UV index in Zacatlán 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 Zacatlán peaks around April 12 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 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 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Very high |
| Jun | 14 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 14 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Extreme |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in Zacatlán 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 Zacatlán is worst in December — around 95 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.0× the cleanest month (September, 49 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) | 88 | 89 | 85 | 90 | 85 | 59 | 56 | 52 | 49 | 52 | 70 | 95 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 88 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 89 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 85 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 90 | Unhealthy |
| May | 85 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 59 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 56 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 52 | Poor |
| Sep | 49 | Poor |
| Oct | 52 | Poor |
| Nov | 70 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 95 | Unhealthy |
Where is Zacatlán?
Zacatlán sits at 19.9°N, 98.0°W, 2,048 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Chignahuapan, 13 km away.
Topography around Zacatlán
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Zacatlán.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Zacatlán has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 769 m around an average of 2,049 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,999 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,363 m.
The land around Zacatlán is covered by trees (48%) and cropland (20%) within 3 km, trees (67%) within 16 km, and trees (50%) and cropland (23%) 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 Zacatlán (19.9355°, -97.9613°, elevation 2,048 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.