When to visit
Guadalajara?

Discover the best time of year, based on historical climate, temperature, and precipitation.

Guadalajara
Jalisco · Mexico

The best weather in Guadalajara is from January, February, March, but considering flight prices and crowds, the best months to visit are January, February, December.consistent weather climate

Climate score
September
75

Excellent climate

🌦Humid

Temperature
17–26°C
Pleasant nights
Feels like
18–28°C
Comfortable
Precipitation
121mm
Moderate rain · 15 days
Sunshine
9.2h
Mostly cloudy
Humidity (%)
76%
Comfortable
Annual Climate Analysis
Temperature, Rain & Feels Like
Rain
Actual Temp
Feels Like
10°20°30°40°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
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Tourist Crowds
Monthly visitor flow
78
Shoulder season
050100JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSep78OctNovDec
Monthly Overview
Score989798857174707275889596
ClimateMildPleasantPleasantPleasantPleasantHumidRainyHumidHumidPleasantPleasantMild
Temperature10–25°C11–27°C13–30°C15–32°C17–33°C18–30°C17–27°C17–27°C17–26°C15–27°C13–26°C11–24°C
Feels like8–23°C9–25°C11–28°C13–30°C16–32°C19–31°C18–29°C18–29°C18–28°C15–27°C12–26°C9–23°C
Precipitation5mm
1 days
13mm
2 days
12mm
1 days
2mm
0 days
13mm
2 days
106mm
11 days
164mm
17 days
144mm
16 days
121mm
15 days
46mm
7 days
20mm
3 days
14mm
2 days
Sunshine10.0h
☀︎ 91%
10.6h
☀︎ 93%
11.7h
☀︎ 97%
11.9h
☀︎ 94%
12.3h
☀︎ 93%
11.2h
☀︎ 84%
8.9h
☀︎ 67%
8.9h
☀︎ 69%
9.2h
☀︎ 75%
10.2h
☀︎ 87%
10.3h
☀︎ 92%
9.9h
☀︎ 91%
WindSW · 14 km/hW · 16 km/hW · 19 km/hW · 19 km/hW · 20 km/hSW · 18 km/hS · 13 km/hS · 13 km/hSE · 13 km/hSE · 14 km/hSW · 12 km/hSW · 12 km/h
Humidity (%)48%46%38%33%39%61%77%76%76%66%56%53%
Day length11.0h11.5h12.0h12.6h13.1h13.4h13.2h12.8h12.2h11.7h11.2h10.9h
Tourist CrowdsLow seasonShoulder seasonHigh seasonHigh seasonHigh seasonHigh seasonHigh seasonShoulder seasonShoulder seasonShoulder seasonHigh seasonShoulder season
Events & Festivals
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Fiestas de Octubre
Guadalajara International Book Fair
International Mariachi and Charreria Encounter
Guadalajara International Film Festival
Events & Festivals
  • Fiestas de OctubrefestivalSignature event
    October· 500k+ visitors

    Guadalajara's largest annual celebration turns the city into a month-long fairground with concerts, charreria (Mexican r…

  • Guadalajara International Book Faircultural
    November· 50k+ visitors

    The largest Spanish-language book fair in the world draws publishers, authors, and readers from across Latin America and…

  • International Mariachi and Charreria Encountercultural
    September· 5k+ visitors

    Guadalajara, the birthplace of mariachi music, hosts this gathering of mariachi bands and charro riders from Mexico and…

  • Guadalajara International Film Festivalcultural
    March· 5k+ visitors

    One of Latin America's leading film festivals brings premieres, industry talks, and screenings from across the Spanish-s…

The story of the seasons in Guadalajara

Guadalajara is at its effortless, sunlit best when winter settles into Jalisco, offering crisp mountain-plateau air and sapphire skies precisely when the rest of the continent is shivering.

As the spiritual capital of Jalisco, Guadalajara carries the full weight of Mexican tradition—mariachi violins, neoclassical architecture, and fiery culinary heritage—across a high-altitude plateau that can swing wildly from parched heat to drenching summer deluge. Visitors often expect an endless tropical warmth, but the city’s actual rhythm is dictated by the interplay of elevation and seasonal downpours. The timing of your visit makes the difference between strolling past stone colonnades in sheer comfort or scrambling for cover under concrete awnings as afternoon skies burst open. If you want the city at its most seductive, the cooler, dry months are not just an alternative; they are the definitive window.

The Golden High-Plains Winter

January through March delivers the finest weather of the year. Days begin with a sharp, brisk clarity that calls for a light jacket while walking between the plazas of the historic center. By noon, the high-altitude sun bathes the twin neo-Gothic spires of Guadalajara Cathedral in brilliant light, but the dry atmosphere keeps the heat gentle and crisp rather than oppressive. You can spend entire afternoons wandering the arcades of Hospicio Cabañas to stand under the murals of José Clemente Orozco without breaking a sweat.

February and March see an influx of travelers as the city hits full cultural stride. In March, cinephiles and directors take over auditoriums and open-air plazas for the Guadalajara International Film Festival, filling the cafes around Degollado Theatre with late-night conversation. The air warms perceptibly as spring deepens, yet humidity remains virtually absent, making this the golden window for long, meandering urban walks from morning until well past dusk.

The Parched Pre-Monsoon Scorch

By April, the temperate winter days give way to an uncompromising, desiccating heat. May is the thermal peak of the year, with daytime temperatures climbing past 30 degrees and the midday sun pounding down on paved avenues. The plateau dust hangs in the still air, and the jacaranda blossoms that blanket the sidewalks begin to dry up under the relentless glare.

During these months, urban exploration requires strict tactical timing. Being outdoors between midday and late afternoon becomes an endurance test best avoided. The city retreats indoors, seeking solace in cool, vaulted stone sanctuaries like the Templo Expiatorio or retreating into the sprawling, shaded avenues of San Juan de Dios Market to browse stalls beneath high roofs. If you travel now, plan your adventures for the early mornings or wait until the sun sinks below the skyline and the pavement finally begins to release its heat.

The Deluge and Summer Drama

In June, the skies break. The dry plateau atmosphere gives way to the summer monsoon, and by July the city receives more rain in a single month than during the entire winter and spring combined. Mornings often start surprisingly clear and humid, lulling visitors into a false sense of security, before towering thunderheads stack up over the Valley of Atemajac in the afternoon.

When the storm hits, it is not a gentle European drizzle. It is a dramatic, torrential burst that transforms city avenues into rushing torrents and halts foot traffic instantly. You must learn the local art of timing: run your errands early, take shelter under a portico or inside a museum when the sky turns charcoal, and emerge afterward to washed streets and dramatic, storm-cleared sunsets. Early September brings the International Mariachi and Charreria Encounter, where the boom of brass and the thunder of horse hooves in the historic center cut through the muggy air, providing a thrilling cultural spectacle even as the rainy season stages its final, thunderous stand.

Autumn Rhythms and the Festival Surge

October marks the grand transition. The rains retreat rapidly, leaving the surrounding hills vivid green and the evening air pleasantly mild. The city erupts into celebration with the month-long Fiestas de Octubre, filling public spaces with fairgrounds, rodeo competitions, and evening performances that draw families out into the balmy night air.

By November and December, Guadalajara reaches peak density. The Guadalajara International Book Fair arrives in late November, turning the city into the global capital of Spanish-language publishing and pulling hundreds of thousands of visitors through its exhibition halls. The weather is spectacular—clear, dry, and cool—mirroring the brilliance of early winter. The plazas surrounding Degollado Theatre glow with holiday lights, and the downtown core hums with an electric, celebratory intensity, making this the most bustling and vibrant time to experience Jalisco's capital.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time to visit Guadalajara?

The best weather in Guadalajara is from January, March, February, but considering flight prices and crowds, the best months to visit are January, February, December (10–33 °C).

What is the weather like in Guadalajara?

Guadalajara has a climate with an overall score of 8.5/10. Annual temperatures range from 10 °C to 33 °C.

What is the hottest month in Guadalajara?

The hottest month in Guadalajara is May, with average highs of 33 °C and lows of 17 °C.

What is the rainiest month in Guadalajara?

The rainiest month in Guadalajara is July, with an average of 164 mm of precipitation.

When is peak season in Guadalajara?

Peak season in Guadalajara is March, April, May, June, July, November. This is the most popular period, with the highest tourism levels and prices.

When is shoulder season in Guadalajara?

Shoulder season in Guadalajara falls in February, August, September, October, December. It offers a good balance of decent weather and lower prices compared to peak season.