Oaxaca, Mexico Climate & Monthly Averages
Oaxaca has a subtropical highland climate. May is the hottest month, averaging 86° by day; January is the coldest at 78°.
Rain, not cold, divides the year in 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.
The wet-and-dry rhythm at a glance
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.
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.
More climate facts for Oaxaca
- 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%
Choosing the right part of the year in Oaxaca
Choose dates by rain, not just temperature
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.
What the humidity changes
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.
Warm all year: the monthly rain pattern
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Oaxaca's coldest night and 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
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Oaxaca's coolest part of the year: September, October, January.
Monthly temperature and rain 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% |
How Oaxaca compares for rain and warmth
- The city sees 10.9 hours of sunshine on an average day - sunnier than 93% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.
How the calendar changes in warm-weather 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.
Questions about heat and rain in Oaxaca
How sunny is Oaxaca?
How cold does Oaxaca get in winter?
What is the average temperature in Oaxaca?
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Oaxaca temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.