Oaxaca, Mexico Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Oaxaca
Temperature barely moves in Oaxaca - 5°C between the average May and the average January. Rainfall does the work instead: 6.8 inches (174 mm) in September against 2 mm (0.1 in) in February.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: May - highs near 86°F (30°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 78°F (26°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 101°F (38°C) high · 40°F (4°C) low
- Wettest month: September (20 rainy days) · Sunniest: April (11.9 h sun/day)
- Climate type: subtropical highland
- Annual swing: 5°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 13°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 2
- Average humidity: 64%
Temperatures through the year
Days and nights are about 13°C apart on average - wider than 96% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. January sits at the other end of the year: 78°F (26°C) by day, 51°F (11°C) at night. At its warmest, in May, Oaxaca runs to 86°F (30°C) in the afternoon and back to 61°F (16°C) by dawn. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 101°F (38°C) and the lowest daily minimum 40°F (4°C). 6 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running November through April.
Rain, sun and snow
Between the average May and the average January lie 5°C, a narrower spread than about 86% of the cities we track. Relative humidity averages 64% across the year, drier than about 80% of the cities we track.
How Oaxaca compares
- The city sees 10.9 hours of sunshine on an average day - sunnier than 93% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 78° | 51° | 0 | 0.1 in | 10.7 h/day | 11.2 h | 2% | 56% |
| February | 82° | 52° | 0 | 0.1 in | 11.1 h/day | 11.6 h | 1% | 52% |
| March | 85° | 56° | 2 | 0.7 in | 11.3 h/day | 12.0 h | 8% | 52% |
| April | 87° | 59° | 5 | 0.7 in | 11.9 h/day | 12.5 h | 16% | 51% |
| May | 86° | 61° | 9 | 2.3 in | 11.6 h/day | 12.9 h | 28% | 58% |
| June | 79° | 60° | 20 | 6.6 in | 10.4 h/day | 13.1 h | 65% | 73% |
| July | 78° | 58° | 18 | 4.5 in | 11.4 h/day | 13.1 h | 59% | 74% |
| August | 78° | 58° | 20 | 5.7 in | 10.7 h/day | 12.7 h | 64% | 75% |
| September | 76° | 59° | 20 | 6.8 in | 9.7 h/day | 12.2 h | 68% | 78% |
| October | 77° | 57° | 11 | 3.7 in | 10.2 h/day | 11.7 h | 35% | 73% |
| November | 78° | 54° | 2 | 0.3 in | 10.7 h/day | 11.3 h | 8% | 64% |
| December | 78° | 52° | 0 | 0.1 in | 10.7 h/day | 11.1 h | 2% | 58% |
Oaxaca month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Oaxaca's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.2 h
February
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 11.6 h
March
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
April
- Rain
- 5 days
- Sunshine
- 11.9 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
May
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.9 h
June
- Rain
- 20 days
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.1 h
July
- Rain
- 18 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.1 h
August
- Rain
- 20 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 12.7 h
September
- Rain
- 20 days
- Sunshine
- 9.7 h
- Daylight
- 12.2 h
October
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.7 h
November
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
December
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.1 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Oaxaca
Spring (March through May)
Through spring, Oaxaca brings hot afternoons: 86°F (30°C) by day, 59°F (15°C) after dark, and rain comes on about 16 days over the three months. Daylight is generous - around 11.6 hours of sun a day.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Oaxaca is mild and warm, with daytime highs averaging 78°F (26°C) and nights around 59°F (15°C); rain falls on around 58 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.8 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Through fall, Oaxaca is pleasantly warm: 77°F (25°C) by day, 57°F (14°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 34 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.2 hours of sun a day.
Winter (December through February)
Through winter, Oaxaca settles into easy warmth: 79°F (26°C) by day, 52°F (11°C) after dark, and precipitation is sparse, near 7 mm (0.3 in) for the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.8 hours of sun a day.
Climate questions, answered
How sunny is Oaxaca?
How cold does Oaxaca get in winter?
What is the average temperature in Oaxaca?
How many hot months does Oaxaca have?
How much do temperatures drop at night in Oaxaca?
Best time to visit Oaxaca
Aim for November to February if you get the choice: warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up, and highs average 79°F (26°C) against roughly 1 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in November.
Pack for Oaxaca with light clothing for the warm months and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Even in May, lows of 61°F (16°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Oaxaca temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.