Zihuatanejo in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Zihuatanejo sees average daytime highs around 29°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 24 mm of rain over about 3 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 29°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels humid.
Winter is Zihuatanejo's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Zihuatanejo's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 29°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 19°C
- Rainfall
- 24 mm
- 3 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.4
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Zihuatanejo in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C.
A typical winter day in Zihuatanejo reaches about 29°C and drops to 19°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Zihuatanejo
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Zihuatanejo 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 | 28° / 19° | 11 | 1.1 | 11.1 | 7.4 |
| Feb | 29° / 19° | 5 | 0.4 | 11.4 | 7.4 |
| Mar | 29° / 19° | 9 | 0.4 | 11.9 | 7.2 |
| Apr | 30° / 20° | 0 | 0 | 12.4 | 6.7 |
| May | 30° / 22° | 16 | 2.7 | 12.8 | 5.8 |
| Jun | 30° / 23° | 187 | 17.3 | 13 | 4.2 |
| Jul | 30° / 24° | 178 | 20.8 | 13 | 3.8 |
| Aug | 29° / 23° | 231 | 22 | 12.6 | 3.7 |
| Sep | 29° / 23° | 341 | 25 | 12.1 | 3.5 |
| Oct | 29° / 23° | 216 | 22.5 | 11.6 | 4.1 |
| Nov | 29° / 21° | 35 | 6.7 | 11.2 | 6.3 |
| Dec | 28° / 19° | 8 | 1.5 | 11 | 7.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Zihuatanejo gets around 24 mm of rain over 3 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 5 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 hours 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 5.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Zihuatanejo
None of Zihuatanejo's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Zihuatanejo sits in the eastern Pacific hurricane zone; the season peaks August–September.
Zihuatanejo's monsoon runs June–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Zihuatanejo?
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 Zihuatanejo for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Zihuatanejo in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Zihuatanejo sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 19°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.
Sea temperature near Zihuatanejo in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 28°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 March near 27°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) | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Tropical |
| Feb | 28 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 27 | Warm |
| May | 28 | Tropical |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 30 | Tropical |
| Aug | 30 | Tropical |
| Sep | 30 | Tropical |
| Oct | 30 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in Zihuatanejo 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 Zihuatanejo peaks around March 24 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 10 at about 7 (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) | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Very high |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 10 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 9 | Very high |
| Nov | 7 | High |
| Dec | 7 | High |
Air quality in Zihuatanejo 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 Zihuatanejo is worst in May — around 61 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 7.5× the cleanest month (February, 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) | 10 | 8 | 10 | 31 | 61 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Good |
| Feb | 8 | Good |
| Mar | 10 | Good |
| Apr | 31 | Moderate |
| May | 61 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 16 | Moderate |
| Jul | 16 | Moderate |
| Aug | 13 | Moderate |
| Sep | 13 | Moderate |
| Oct | 13 | Moderate |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 10 | Good |
Where is Zihuatanejo?
Zihuatanejo sits at 17.6°N, 101.6°W, 13 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Petatlán, 32 km away.
Topography around Zihuatanejo
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Zihuatanejo.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Zihuatanejo has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 578 m around an average of 96 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,040 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,828 m.
The land around Zihuatanejo is covered by trees (60%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 3 km, water (46%) and trees (37%) within 16 km, and trees (55%) and water (35%) 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 Zihuatanejo (17.6434°, -101.5521°, elevation 13 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.