Weather and Climate in El Salvador
The climate in El Salvador is tropical, with only two seasons. The dry season is from November to April. The rainy season is between May and October. Almost all of the annual precipitation falls on nights during the rainy season. In winter it only rains in the far north of the country, where the humid northeast trade wind still extends. Annual rainfall decreases inland from the mountains in the north and the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
The temperatures are largely determined by the differences in altitude. The coastal regions are hottest. The central areas show strong temperature differences over the course of the year. The mountain areas are always cool. The highest temperatures are reached in the weeks immediately before the rainy season. In the summer rainy season, the temperatures drop by a few degrees, but the air is then very humid and muggy.
The best season to vacation in El Salvador is the dry season between November and April. However, it is quite crowded around Christmas and Easter. Therefore, the beginning and the end of the dry season are particularly suitable for trips to El Salvador. This also applies to trekking tours in the mountains. Even during the first week of August, when the annual festival takes place in San Salvador, accommodations are often occupied and prices rise.
In the rainy season the prices are lower, the beaches are less crowded and in the evenings / at night it is a little cooler after the rains. During the rainy season, however, you have to expect floods or landslides, even if most of the rain falls at night. In addition, it gets unbearably hot in the interior of the country with up to 38 degrees Celsius.
Hurricane season is between June and November, in El Salvador most likely in October and November.
Average daytime temperature
Region | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Acajutla | 32 ° C | 32 ° C | 33 ° C | 33 ° C | 32 ° C | 32 ° C | 32 ° C | 32 ° C | 31 ° C | 32 ° C | 32 ° C | 32 ° C |
San Salvador | 30 ° C | 31 ° C | 32 ° C | 32 ° C | 31 ° C | 30 ° C | 30 ° C | 30 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C |
Average night temperature
Region | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Acajutla | 22 ° C | 22 ° C | 23 ° C | 24 ° C | 24 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 22 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 22 ° C | 22 ° C |
San Salvador | 16 ° C | 16 ° C | 17 ° C | 19 ° C | 19 ° C | 19 ° C | 18 ° C | 18 ° C | 19 ° C | 18 ° C | 17 ° C | 16 ° C |
Average hours of sunshine / day
Region | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Acajutla | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
San Salvador | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 |
Average rainy days / month
Region | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Acajutla | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
San Salvador | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 14 | 3 | 1 |