Weather Analysis - Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mexico

Very few places in the world have what could be described as the perfect climate.

 

Many environments suffer from frustrating extremes. The east coast of the United States has horribly humid summers and frigid winters. The spring and fall, however, is relatively pleasant most of the time. But the extremes are the worst. Even in places like Florida, which are popular for retirees, the weather is not comfortable. Summers are horribly hot, so hot that, on occasion, the state has attempted to air-condition the air outside. States like Arizona and California are hot and dry pretty much all the time. Clearly, there are a multitude of places that are certainly not the perfect’ climate. But there’s a place in Mexico that is considered to have the second best climate in the world. 

 

That statement should not be taken lightly. If you are an American citizen looking for a place to retire, Mexico has a few large advantages over other retiree locations. Not only is the cost of living exponentially lower in Mexico than in the United States, Mexico is also close enough to the US that visiting family would not be too difficult. Plus, if you are sick of extreme or uncomfortable weather, there is a little-known gem in Mexico whose weather is pristine. 

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The place I am talking about is Ajijic Mexico, which is a small town on the shores of Lake Chapala, Mexico. Ajijic is about an hour south of Guadalajara, and is home to a multitude of both American and Canadian retirees. This little town is nestled in the Mexican highlands, which means it has an elevation of about 1 mile. So, even though Ajijic is the same latitude as the Western Sahara, for example, it is not even comparable in temperature. Being in the mountains thoroughly reduces the temperature, keeping the climate cool and comfortable. On top of resting in the Mexican Highlands, this little town is sandwiched between Lake Chapala as well as the mountain range, which serves as a further regulator of temperature. 

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I’m going to go through a season-by-season, month-by-month, detailed dive into the weather you can expect from Ajijic, just to show you how amazing the climate here is. 

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Winter (November, December, January, February)

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While this is the traditional winter season for much of the rest of the world, Ajijic works differently. In November, the rains are beginning to end, and the days are warm, although the nights can get pretty chilly. On average, November temperatures can range from high 40s to high 70s, which, in my mind, is a pretty solid definition of the word temperate.’ This weather is perfect for outdoor activities during the day, and maybe a little firepit-action at night. Once you get into December, the rainy season is over. The days are dry and warm, though the nights can still get a bit cold. Here, temperatures generally range from the mid 40s to mid 70s. Really, December in Ajijic is a drier version of November. But, it is clearly a very mild month, again, with outside temperatures warm and comfortable enough to be outside and take in the gorgeous view. January might see the beginnings of light rain, though temperatures will stay relatively constant at those magical mid 40s to mid 70s. February starts to heat up a bit. The light rain will usually start to stop once you get into February. Temperatures start ranging from those mid 40s now to high 70s. 

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Spring (March, April, May)

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Once you get into March, the temperature continues to warm up, with lows of mid 40s and highs, now, of low 80s. Usually, the rains will come at night. However, it will rain on occasion during the day, but these showers are light and won’t last very long. The weather gets even warmer as you get into April, temperatures ranging from low 50s to high 80s. April is generally a pretty dry month. May is when humidity levels start rising again. May is even hotter than the preceding months, with temperatures ranging from the mid 50s to high 90s. But, keep in mind the presence of the mountains and lake - it might be 90 when the sun is at its zenith, but there are many ways to stay cool and comfortable. 

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Summer (June, July, August)

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Summers here are warm, but not brutal. In June, temperatures range from 60s to 80s, which is definitely reasonable. And the end of June is usually when the rainy season is set to begin. While July is still a warm month, temperatures begin to drop a little, ranging from high 50s to high 70s. You can expect thunderstorms just about every night. But, usually, you won’t have to deal with them during the day. August is pretty much a continuation of July. The temperatures won’t rise too high, but the rains will continue, again, mainly at night. 

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Fall (September, October)

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Once we get into the Fall season, temperatures are still warm, though they are beginning to drop, with ranges from mid 50s to mid 70s. The rain will continue, again, mainly in the evenings. Once you get into October, the rainy season will be beginning to peter out. Temperatures in October range from the high 40s to mid 70s - again, comfortable and temperate. 

I split this into the seasons that would be most familiar to American citizens, but Mexico generally operates on a dry season and a wet season. The dry season is generally from October to May, and the wet season is generally from June to September. (It’s a short rainy season). And the Lake is beautiful year round, with the mountains lush and green, the lake a shining mirror for breathtaking sunsets, and the clear, natural, mountain air delicious to breath. 

 

Like I said earlier, you won’t find any extremes here. Pretty much year-round, temperatures won’t rise above mid 90s, and they won’t fall below the mid 40s. The temperature is optimal during the day, while the sun is up - you’ll never be forced by the weather to stay inside, save for the occasional, severe thunderstorms. And the evenings cool down, which means you can sleep with a blanket or two. Plus, low 40s is reasonable enough for a cup of hot cocoa. There is no other place where you can experience the best weather, at the lowest cost, at the most centralized location to your native country.