Oaxaca, Mexico Climate & Monthly Averages

Mexico 🇲🇽 · subtropical highland climate
Annual avg
67°
Hottest month
May
Coldest month
January
Rainy days / yr
109
Sunshine
10.9 h/day
Right now: 72° and overcast - see live conditions

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

Monthly averages for Oaxaca based on 2015–2024 weather data.
MonthHighLow Rain daysPrecipitation SunshineHumidity
January 78° 51° 0 0.1 in 10.7 h/day 56%
February 82° 52° 0 0.1 in 11.1 h/day 52%
March 85° 56° 2 0.7 in 11.3 h/day 52%
April 87° 59° 5 0.7 in 11.9 h/day 51%
May 86° 61° 9 2.3 in 11.6 h/day 58%
June 79° 60° 20 6.6 in 10.4 h/day 73%
July 78° 58° 18 4.5 in 11.4 h/day 74%
August 78° 58° 20 5.7 in 10.7 h/day 75%
September 76° 59° 20 6.8 in 9.7 h/day 78%
October 77° 57° 11 3.7 in 10.2 h/day 73%
November 78° 54° 2 0.3 in 10.7 h/day 64%
December 78° 52° 0 0.1 in 10.7 h/day 58%

Oaxaca month by month

Oaxaca weather in January

January brings highs around 78°F (26°C), lows near 51°F (11°C), about 0 wet days - typically the coldest month of the year in Oaxaca.

Oaxaca weather in February

February brings highs around 82°F (28°C), lows near 52°F (11°C), about 0 wet days - typically the driest month of the year in Oaxaca.

Oaxaca weather in March

March brings highs around 85°F (29°C), lows near 56°F (13°C), about 2 wet days.

Oaxaca weather in April

April brings highs around 87°F (31°C), lows near 59°F (15°C), about 5 wet days - typically the sunniest month of the year in Oaxaca.

Oaxaca weather in May

May brings highs around 86°F (30°C), lows near 61°F (16°C), about 9 wet days - typically the hottest month of the year in Oaxaca.

Oaxaca weather in June

June brings highs around 79°F (26°C), lows near 60°F (16°C), about 20 wet days.

Oaxaca weather in July

July brings highs around 78°F (26°C), lows near 58°F (14°C), about 18 wet days.

Oaxaca weather in August

August brings highs around 78°F (26°C), lows near 58°F (15°C), about 20 wet days.

Oaxaca weather in September

September brings highs around 76°F (25°C), lows near 59°F (15°C), about 20 wet days - typically the wettest month of the year in Oaxaca.

Oaxaca weather in October

October brings highs around 77°F (25°C), lows near 57°F (14°C), about 11 wet days.

Oaxaca weather in November

November brings highs around 78°F (26°C), lows near 54°F (12°C), about 2 wet days.

Oaxaca weather in December

December brings highs around 78°F (26°C), lows near 52°F (11°C), about 0 wet days.

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?
10.9 hours a day averaged over the year, peaking in April at 11.9 hours.
How cold does Oaxaca get in winter?
January nights average 51°F (11°C). Cold never really arrives.
What is the average temperature in Oaxaca?
67°F (20°C) across all twelve months - about 80°F (27°C) by day and 56°F (14°C) after dark.
How many hot months does Oaxaca have?
Average highs hold at 30°C or above for 2 months of the year. Outside that, January pulls back to 78°F (26°C).
How much do temperatures drop at night in Oaxaca?
By about 13°C on an average day - a wider day-to-night gap than most of the 3496 cities we track. In May that means 86°F (30°C) down to 61°F (16°C).

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)

Highest recorded
101°
in May
Lowest recorded
40°
in December
Annual precipitation
31.5"
Snowy days / yr
0

Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ.