When is summer time in Guatemala?

Answer 1

Actually, just as far as i know, Guatemala has a Spring-Like, mild to alpine cold (In the highlands), and mediterranean to humid (in the low elevation lands, and coast) year long, and even though no seasons are really MARKED, there are some few climatic events.

"Summer" as they call it,--usually brings a rise in Minimum temps, with Maxs almost always staying the same, you can expect some hot weather-- Begins around the last 5 days of February, and lasts all the way to mid of May. Usually in the Highlands, Like Guatemala City, during Summer, Minimums don't go below 55 F. Xela isn't that affected, with Minimums remaining as low as 30 F, usual 34 F, but days do get hot and dry. Maxs may go all the way to 90 F, but as mentioned, they usually stay the same, just that they last longer. The remaining of the country's lands, lowlands present some Stable 66 F to 95 F.

Then some really rainy months. From Mid May, to Beginning of October, the heavy rain season starts --Hence the "Como Agua de Mayo" say....--. Guatemala has problems to cope with this rain, and almost every year there's damage, floods, deaths, etc. There's not a single day without rain, and sun's almost gone for those 5 months. Temps start to get low, with day minimums in Guatemala City no surpassing 70 F, and in Xela not surpasing 65 F. And then we've got It's really windy in Guatemala City.

Down in the lowlands the temperature go really below usual, such as a 64 F in Zacapa.

Starting October, rains diminish, and then the cold begins. Expect lows as 49 F for Guatemala City, 25 F in Xela. Days are humid after all that rain, but begin to dry as entering January. Days maximum don't go above 65 F in both cities. Guatemala City's windy, so that's a wind chill factor.

I've used Guatemala's 2 most important Cities, Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango (Xela). At 1500 Meters and 2300 Meters respectively. So that may not represent the whole Country's climate. Actually, it's always quite cold in those cities. You'd be surprised, so don't expect to go in shorts and soak up margaritas as you'd do in Costa Rica. Take winter clothes, ALWAYS.

The rest of the country (Below 900 Meters) is quite humid with stable temperatures.

Volcan Tajumulco 4200 Meters, and Town of Ixchiguan 3700 Meters, usually get some snow around November-January. Xela gets hail, sometimes snow if precipitaion occurs, which is really weird for october-february, when it's coldest.

And classes start in January, with a 1-2 week break in SEMANA SANTA, then another break in June-July, usually 3 weeked, and then all the way till mid october.

Answer 2

Guatemala has a Spring-Like, humid mild to alpine cold (depending on altitude) climate, year long, and even though are no real seasons, or even a "change", there are some few climatic events:

-Summer: As we call it. Around Late February to Mid June. Usually brings a rise in Minimum temperatures, with Maximums increasing as well, but not at the same pace. You can do expect some warm weather during the day.

In Guatemala City, during Summer, Minimums don't go below 17 C; Maximums go up to 28 C (Sometimes 30 C, but that seldom happens. Almost never).

Quetzaltenango isn't that affected, with Minimums remaining as low as 8 C, but usually staying around a constant 10 C. Days do/can get hot and dry. Maximums go up to 25 C (Sometimes 30 C, but that seldom happens. Virtually Never.).

The remainder of the country that isn't at a considerable altitude (1500 Meters or above): Lowlands, get some stable never changing 18-24 C Minimums, 27-35 C Maximums (Sometimes up to 45 C, but that is really odd).

-Winter: Some really rainy months, around 5½. From Mid-Late May, to Early-Mid October. Heavy rain season starts. There's not a single day without rain, and sun may almost be gone for those 5 months, although the most normal thing to happen may be 10 Cloudy days, 3 Sunny days. Despite that, all of them: Rainy Days. Temperatures start to decrease a bit.

In Guatemala City, during this Season, Minimums decrease to 16 C, Maximums decrease to 23 C, but due to the fact that most of those month's days are cloudy, the all day high might very frequently (and it does most of the days) be as low as 19 C.

In Quetzaltenango, during this Season, Minimums do really stay the same (But the wind chill and humidity being a factor as to how cold it really feels) at 9 to 10 C, Maximums decrease, and rarely go above 22 C. Do to the same fact, that most of those month's days are cloudy, the all day high might very frequently, very easily, be as low as 15-16 C.

Lowlands don't see a real change in temperatures, just in precipitation. Minimums stay the same, between the 17-23 C, Maximums around 25-33 C.

-Cold: From Mid-Late October to Mid-Late February, rains start diminishing. Then the cold begins.

In Guatemala City, for this whole season, expect lows around the 8-14 range, and Maximums rise a bit again (In comparison to the Rainy Season, this is due to because, this same season, the coldest, is also the sunniest), to the 22-25 C range. 25 F.

In Quetzaltenango, for this whole season, expect lows around the (negative)-2-(positive)6 C, coldest being able to go to -6 C. Maximums (again, due to this being the sunniest season), stay around the 18-23 C range. In the surroundings, it is more normal to get as low as -5, and it might even snow at greater altitudes. Lowlands, stay at the same. With minimums maybe decreasing to the 15-21 Range, and maximums around the 24-29 range.

The rest of the country (Below 900 Meters) is quite humid with stable temperatures.