Climate Insights for El Salvador

The climate in El Salvador is temperate. The average annual temperature is 17°C and approximately 378mm of precipitation falls per year. May is the wettest month, receiving around 54mm of rainfall. El Salvador is in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer begins at the end of June and lasts through September. The summer months are: May, June, July. The coldest months are January, December, February, when temperatures can drop to 6°C.

Temperatures in El Salvador vary considerably across the year, with a 23°C difference between the coldest and warmest months. The warmest month is May, when average highs reach 29°C and the mean temperature sits around 21°C. January is the coolest month, with minimum temperatures around 6°C and an average of 11°C. On average, daily temperatures fluctuate by about 13°C between overnight lows and afternoon highs. The sharpest temperature change occurs between January and February, with a 3°C shift in average temperatures.

El Salvador is a quite dry location, receiving approximately 378mm of precipitation annually, which averages out to around 32mm per month. The wettest month is May, averaging 54mm of rainfall. July and September also tend to see above-average precipitation. The driest month is December, with just 15mm. That's 39mm less than May, the wettest month. Precipitation varies noticeably between seasons, with the first half (January to June) of the year generally seeing more rainfall.

El Salvador is mildly breezy, with an average annual wind speed of 16km/h. For context, sustained winds below 12km/h are generally light, while anything above 25km/h is considered strong. The windiest month is July, averaging 20km/h, though still comfortable for most outdoor activities. The calmest conditions occur in November, with average winds dropping to 13km/h, making it an ideal period for wind-sensitive activities. There is moderate seasonal variation in wind speed, with a 7km/h gap between the calmest and windiest months. Wind tends to pick up during the summer months. The seasonal averages are 14km/h in winter, 17km/h in spring, 19km/h in summer, 15km/h in autumn.

It is currently spring in El Salvador, which began on March 20, 2026. El Salvador is in the Northern Hemisphere, where spring begins in March, summer in June, autumn in September, and winter in December. The warmest period peaks in May at around 29°C, while the coldest stretch bottoms out in January near 6°C. Summer is next, beginning on June 21, 2026 — 87 days from now.

The best time to visit El Salvador is during March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November, when the weather is most comfortable for travellers. During these months, average temperatures hover around 19°C with modest rainfall averaging 37mm per month. By contrast, January can be quite cold with temperatures dropping to 6°C. A light rain jacket is recommended, though showers are generally brief and shouldn't disrupt your plans.

The table below shows monthly climate averages for El Salvador based on historical weather data. Min and max temperatures represent typical overnight lows and afternoon highs for each month, shown in degrees Celsius (°C). Precipitation is measured in millimetres (mm) and indicates the average total rainfall per month. Wind speed is the average sustained speed in kilometres per hour (km/h). All values are based on averages from over 10 years of historical weather data. The current month is highlighted for quick reference.