Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city, sits in the highlands of western Mexico in the state of Jalisco at around 1,500–1,560 metres above sea level, at approximately 20.67°N, 103.35°W. Its altitude tempers its tropical latitude, giving it a mild subtropical highland climate (Köppen Cwa) — warm, spring-like weather much of the year — with a clear division between a dry season and a summer rainy season.

The warmest months come in spring before the rains, around May and June, with highs around 31–33°C — warmer than higher Mexico City thanks to the lower elevation. Once the rainy season arrives in June, daytime temperatures ease a little as afternoon clouds and thunderstorms build, bringing dramatic, often heavy late-day downpours that clear to pleasant evenings. Humidity rises during these months but the heat rarely becomes oppressive.

The dry season from November to May brings warm, sunny days around 24–27°C and cool nights, with the coldest nights from mid-November to early March occasionally dropping close to freezing. Days remain comfortably warm and bright, and the large day-to-night temperature range is characteristic of the highland setting. Frost is rare but possible on the coldest, clearest winter nights.

Guadalajara receives around 900–1,000 mm of rain a year, heavily concentrated in the wet season from June to September — July is typically the wettest month — when afternoon and evening thunderstorms are frequent and sometimes intense. The rest of the year, especially the winter and spring dry season, sees very little rain and plentiful sunshine. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Guadalajara's altitude gives it a gentler, more spring-like version of Mexico's tropical climate — warmer than the loftier capital but still far milder than the sweltering coasts — with the year defined by the alternation of a long sunny dry season and a thundery summer rainy season. The reliable afternoon storms of that rainy season keep the surrounding countryside green and the evenings fresh.

To follow any single measurement in Guadalajara more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.