Mae Chan in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Mae Chan sees average daytime highs around 28°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 64 mm of rain over about 9 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 27°C in early December to 31°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels comfortable.
Winter is Mae Chan's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Mae Chan's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 28°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 14°C
- Rainfall
- 64 mm
- 9 wet days
- Avg wind
- 4 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.5
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Mae Chan in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 27°C in early December to 31°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Mae Chan reaches about 28°C and drops to 14°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Mae Chan
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.
Mae Chan 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 | 27° / 13° | 23 | 2.9 | 10.9 | 8.0 |
| Feb | 30° / 14° | 14 | 2.3 | 11.3 | 6.3 |
| Mar | 33° / 17° | 39 | 5.1 | 11.9 | 4.5 |
| Apr | 33° / 20° | 122 | 11.7 | 12.4 | 3.3 |
| May | 32° / 23° | 282 | 22.2 | 12.9 | 2.9 |
| Jun | 31° / 24° | 324 | 26.7 | 13.2 | 2.5 |
| Jul | 30° / 24° | 422 | 29 | 13.1 | 2.6 |
| Aug | 30° / 23° | 393 | 29.2 | 12.7 | 2.6 |
| Sep | 30° / 23° | 286 | 25.1 | 12.1 | 3.1 |
| Oct | 29° / 21° | 134 | 17.5 | 11.5 | 4.5 |
| Nov | 28° / 18° | 48 | 6.3 | 11 | 6.9 |
| Dec | 26° / 14° | 27 | 3.7 | 10.8 | 8.1 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Mae Chan gets around 64 mm of rain over 9 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 4 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 54 min in early December to 11 h 30 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 4.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Mae Chan
None of Mae Chan's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Mae Chan's monsoon runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Mae Chan?
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 Mae Chan for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Mae Chan in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Mae Chan sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 14°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 9 days see rain.
UV index in Mae Chan in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mae Chan peaks around July 17 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 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) | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Very high |
| Feb | 9 | Very high |
| Mar | 9 | Very high |
| Apr | 10 | Very high |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 13 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 7 | High |
Air quality in Mae Chan 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 Mae Chan is worst in April — around 156 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 12.0× the cleanest month (July, 13 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) | 23 | 40 | 128 | 156 | 37 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 19 |
| Level | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | Moderate |
| Feb | 40 | Poor |
| Mar | 128 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 156 | Very unhealthy |
| May | 37 | Poor |
| Jun | 15 | Moderate |
| Jul | 13 | Moderate |
| Aug | 13 | Moderate |
| Sep | 13 | Moderate |
| Oct | 14 | Moderate |
| Nov | 15 | Moderate |
| Dec | 19 | Moderate |
Where is Mae Chan?
Mae Chan sits at 20.1°N, 99.9°E, 416 m above sea level, in Thailand. The nearest listed city is Chiang Rai, 27 km away.
Topography around Mae Chan
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mae Chan.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mae Chan has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 372 m around an average of 432 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 898 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,922 m.
The land around Mae Chan is covered by cropland (46%) and trees (34%) within 3 km, trees (65%) and cropland (24%) within 16 km, and trees (74%) within 80 km.
Thailand travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 31% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $8,057
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.3 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 4.8
- per 100k, 2011
- Road deaths
- 32.2
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 402
- 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 Mae Chan (20.1468°, 99.8526°, elevation 416 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.