Lake Atitlan Weather Forecast 2024

Lake Atitlan, the rainy season ends at the end of October.  This year due to the effects of El Niño Guatemala received less rain than normal.  According to World Weather and Climate information the month of November which usually does receive some rain saw less than 2 inches of rainfall in some of the areas around Lake Atitlan.

Lake Atitlan Weather Forecast 2024

Lake Atitlan is made up of several different microclimates.  For example, the village of Santa Cruz which is located on the northern shore of Lake Atitlán has more of a tropical jungle environment.  This is the result of the rain and storms that come from the Pacific Ocean.  When these storms hit the mountains around Lake Atitlan they break apart.  Santa Cruz seems to be in the zone that receives the rain.  In contrast areas such as Santa Catarina Palopó and San Antonio Palopó located along the eastern shoreline receive less rain and have pine forests located in parts of the mountainside.

With the conclusion of the rainy season, which also means the end of hurricane season comes the windy season starting November 1^st.  The windy season typically is the months of December and January.  With the winds and lack of rain, it doesn’t take long for the lush green mountainside to change to different shades of brown.

December temperatures will also dip about 5 to 9 degrees making for daytime temperatures in the low to mid 70’s.  Nighttime temperatures average around 60 degrees and make for great sleeping weather.

Keep in mind that if you need to travel across the Lake the best time to do so during December and January is in the mornings when the winds tend to not be as strong.  Afternoon trips across the Lake to the villages of San Pedro La Laguna, San Juan La Laguna, and Santiago can be a bit rough.

December is a great time to visit Lake Atitlan and the weather is perfect for hiking, touring, and all forms of outdoor activities.  Sunsets are the most colorful and spectacular as well in December.

From the village of Panajachel, you can walk to the Playa and watch breathtaking sunsets in hues of pink as the sun sets behind the San Pedro Volcano.  It is claimed that in December the pink hues cast as the sun sets come from the smoke in the air from the burning of the sugar cane fields along the Pacific in preparation for the sugar cane harvest.

For more information or tours of Lake Atitlan and the surrounding communities visit the website of http://growyourowncure.org/.