El Viejo in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), El Viejo sees average daytime highs around 34°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 10 mm of rain over about 3 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 33°C in early December to 36°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 74% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels humid.
Winter is El Viejo's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see El Viejo's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 34°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 10 mm
- 3 wet days
- Avg wind
- 10 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.6
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in El Viejo in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 33°C in early December to 36°C by late February.
A typical winter day in El Viejo reaches about 34°C and drops to 24°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How winter really feels in El Viejo
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 90 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.
El Viejo 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 | 34° / 24° | 2 | 0.5 | 11.3 | 3.6 |
| Feb | 35° / 24° | 2 | 0.6 | 11.6 | 3.1 |
| Mar | 36° / 25° | 5 | 1.6 | 11.9 | 2.5 |
| Apr | 36° / 26° | 36 | 7.5 | 12.3 | 2.2 |
| May | 34° / 25° | 266 | 21.5 | 12.6 | 2.2 |
| Jun | 33° / 25° | 326 | 23 | 12.7 | 2.5 |
| Jul | 34° / 25° | 167 | 17.2 | 12.7 | 2.6 |
| Aug | 33° / 25° | 249 | 22.5 | 12.4 | 2.4 |
| Sep | 32° / 24° | 384 | 26.9 | 12.1 | 2.4 |
| Oct | 31° / 24° | 373 | 24.9 | 11.7 | 2.9 |
| Nov | 32° / 24° | 80 | 9.2 | 11.4 | 4.1 |
| Dec | 34° / 24° | 6 | 1.7 | 11.3 | 4.1 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 74% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
El Viejo gets around 10 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 10 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min in early December to 11 h 42 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 5.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for El Viejo
None of El Viejo's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
El Viejo sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
El Viejo's monsoon runs August–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit El Viejo?
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 weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in El Viejo. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for El Viejo in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, El Viejo sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
Sea temperature near El Viejo 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 at the nearest coast (about 23 km away) is warmest in August at about 30°C and coldest in January near 28°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 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Warm |
| Feb | 28 | Warm |
| Mar | 28 | Tropical |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 30 | Tropical |
| Jul | 30 | Tropical |
| Aug | 30 | Tropical |
| Sep | 30 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 28 | Tropical |
UV index in El Viejo in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in El Viejo peaks around March 22 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 at about 9 (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) | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 9 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Extreme |
| Feb | 12 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 9 | Very high |
| Dec | 9 | Very high |
Air quality in El Viejo 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 El Viejo is worst in April — around 35 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (January, 11 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) | 11 | 13 | 19 | 35 | 33 | 24 | 26 | 22 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 12 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 13 | Moderate |
| Mar | 19 | Moderate |
| Apr | 35 | Moderate |
| May | 33 | Moderate |
| Jun | 24 | Moderate |
| Jul | 26 | Moderate |
| Aug | 22 | Moderate |
| Sep | 19 | Moderate |
| Oct | 18 | Moderate |
| Nov | 17 | Moderate |
| Dec | 12 | Moderate |
Where is El Viejo?
El Viejo sits at 12.7°N, 87.2°W, 49 m above sea level, in Nicaragua. The nearest listed city is Chinandega, 5.0 km away.
Topography around El Viejo
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of El Viejo.
Within 3 km, the terrain around El Viejo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 60 m around an average of 49 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,091 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,751 m.
The land around El Viejo is covered by cropland (43%) and trees (39%) within 3 km, trees (43%) and cropland (39%) within 16 km, and water (39%), trees (27%) and grassland (20%) within 80 km.
Nicaragua travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 120 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 34% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $3,173
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.3 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 11.3
- per 100k, 2021
- Road deaths
- 16.9
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Moderate
- EF EPI 512
- 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 El Viejo (12.6635°, -87.1666°, elevation 49 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.