A fragmented territory
Five times smaller than France, Guatemala is nevertheless subject to a vast climatic diversity. This is due to its geography, divided between the central highlands, the coastal plains bordering the Pacific Ocean in the south and the Caribbean Sea in the east, and the department of Petén in the north, which is essentially made up of tropical rainforests. In the whole country, there are two seasons: dry, between November and April, and rainy, from May to October. Although the first corresponds to winter and the second to summer, they are in fact reversed, since the term"invierno" - winter - is wrongly used to denote the rainy season... A misunderstanding that we owe to the conquistadors, who found that the Guatemalan dry season resembled the summer of their native Castile. Nevertheless, unlike other Central American countries, the contrast is quite small: for example, it is not uncommon - indeed, frequent - for it to rain during the dry season, especially in the Petén and on the Caribbean coast.
The highlands and their dizzying temperature differences. The center of the country is made up of ten departments, from Guatemala to Quiché. Because of its different levels of altitude, this area is made up of a multitude of microclimates. Specifically, in mid-November, when it is between 23 and 25°C in Antigua - 1,600 metres above sea level - it is necessary to equip yourself with several fleeces, a down jacket and a pair of ski gloves when you set out to climb the Acatenango volcano - whose peak is 3,976 metres above sea level - located only 20 kilometres away. It is therefore in the highlands that we find the lowest temperatures in the country... While we can also say that their climate ranges from temperate to rather hot. Let's take as a reference Guatemala City, established at an average altitude - 1,500 meters - for the area. Over the year as a whole, minimum temperatures range from 12 to 16°C and maximums from 22 to 27°C, with cooler nights. On the other hand, rainfall is fairly low in the summer: between 4 and 27 mm per month, with the least rainy period being from December to March. On the other hand, it is logically more important in winter: it reaches between 74 and 134 mm per month, June and September being particularly rainy - with 134 and 129 mm respectively.
The Pacific, a coast with a wet and dry tropical climate. The Guatemalan Pacific coast is 300 kilometers long and 50 kilometers wide and is made up of the ends of the departments of San Marcos, Retalhuleu, Suchitepéquez, Escuíntla, Santa Rosa and Jutiapa. Although tourism is still not very developed, more and more youth hostels and hotels are opening, especially in the vicinity of the village of El Paredón - in Escuíntla - famous for its waves and the beauty of its beach, which quickly make you forget the ambient humidity and the maximum temperatures, oscillating between 29 and 32 °C. The contrast between the seasons is particularly marked, with only 3 to 9 mm of rainfall per month between December and March, compared to 167 to 325 mm between May and October. September is the peak.
The Petén, a department with a unique climate. Its surface area of more than 33,000 km² makes it the largest department in Guatemala, so much so that it represents almost a third of the country's surface. Whether you want to discover the impressive Mayan site of Tikal or venture to the ruins ofEl Mirador, only 10 kilometers from the Mexican border, the Petén is a must-see for tourists. Located on the shores of Lake Petén, Flores, its capital, is fairly representative of the territory's temperatures: its minimum temperatures oscillate between 19 and 24 °C, while its maximum temperatures range from 27 to 35 °C. The coldest month of the year is January, with an average of 22.4°C, while the hottest is May, with temperatures around 28.5°C. Furthermore, October is particularly humid - 85% - while March, April and May are more pleasant to live in - with 60, 56 and 62% humidity respectively. The main difference with the north of the department is the rainfall: the deeper you go into the jungle, the heavier it is. During the rainy season, it varies between 114 and 273 mm per month.
The particularly humid climate of the Caribbean coast. Only one department is established there: the Izabal. The Río Dulce flows here, widening to the northeast to form Lake Golfete, before flowing into the Caribbean Sea. It is here that we find Livingston, a village that attracts tourists as much for its unique culture as for its surroundings rich in superb nature - and still preserved - between waterfalls, wild beaches and lush jungle. However, the climatic conditions are quite hard to bear, with an average humidity rate of 85.5% throughout the year. Rainfall is also intense: it peaks in June with 328 mm over the month, while it is not until December that it drops below 200 mm. It is probably in this area of the country that the dry season is least felt, with rainfall still reaching 169 mm in January. Thus, April is by far the most favourable month to visit the area, with a "small" humidity rate of 81% and rainfall reaching "only" 87 mm.
A country sensitive to climate change
Guatemala is no exception to the greatest challenge of our time. Drought, frost, hurricanes and floods have intensified in recent decades, while the average temperature has risen by 1.5°C since 1960. A further rise, this time of 3 to 6°C, is expected in the country by the end of the 21st century, accompanied by a 30% drop in rainfall. The situation is so worrying that Guatemala requested at COP26 - held in November 2021 - that Central America be recognized as a region "highly vulnerable to the impact of loss and damage imposed by natural disasters". In the country alone, the government estimates the damage caused by global warming to the country's total economy at 6,270.9 million US dollars.
