Mazatlàn vs Puerto Vallarta: which is sunnier?
🇲🇽 Mexico vs 🇲🇽 Mexico · 295 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Mazatlàn is the sunnier overall: about 3,372 hours of sunshine a year to Puerto Vallarta's 3,082. Mazatlàn has the higher Sunshine Score in 11 of 12 months; the other 1 is within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Mazatlàn | Puerto Vallarta | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,372 | 3,082 |
| Sunniest month | March (99/100) | January (94/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 97/100 | 93/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 78/100 | 56/100 |
| Rain / year | 865 mm | 1,388 mm |
| Warmest sea | 31°C / 88°F | 32°C / 90°F |
| Peak midday UV | 11 (extreme) | 12 (extreme) |
Mazatlàn vs Puerto Vallarta month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mazatlàn | Puerto Vallarta | Mazatlàn | Puerto Vallarta | Mazatlàn | Puerto Vallarta | Mazatlàn | Puerto Vallarta | |
| January | 98 | 94 | 26° | 31° | 9 | 16 | 25° | 26° |
| February | 96 | 93 | 26° | 32° | 17 | 25 | 24° | 26° |
| March | 99 | 67 | 27° | 35° | 3 | 12 | 23° | 26° |
| April | 99 | 49 | 28° | 37° | 0 | 1 | 22° | 24° |
| May | 99 | 38 | 30° | 38° | 1 | 10 | 27° | 27° |
| June | 90 | 42 | 31° | 36° | 51 | 155 | 29° | 29° |
| July | 72 | 63 | 31° | 33° | 173 | 317 | 31° | 30° |
| August | 72 | 63 | 30° | 33° | 260 | 343 | 31° | 31° |
| September | 72 | 70 | 30° | 32° | 236 | 334 | 31° | 32° |
| October | 85 | 66 | 30° | 33° | 80 | 131 | 31° | 31° |
| November | 95 | 92 | 28° | 32° | 25 | 27 | 27° | 28° |
| December | 97 | 94 | 26° | 31° | 10 | 17 | 24° | 26° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Mazatlàn · Feb Mazatlàn · Mar Mazatlàn · Apr Mazatlàn · May Mazatlàn · Jun Mazatlàn · Jul Mazatlàn · Aug Mazatlàn · Sep even · Oct Mazatlàn · Nov Mazatlàn · Dec Mazatlàn.
When to pick which
- November–February: Mazatlàn (average score 97/100 vs 93). Puerto Vallarta is the warmer, around 32°C daytime highs vs 27°C. See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Mazatlàn (average score 99/100 vs 51). Puerto Vallarta is the warmer, around 37°C daytime highs vs 28°C.
- June–August: Mazatlàn (average score 78/100 vs 56). Puerto Vallarta is the warmer, around 34°C daytime highs vs 31°C.
- September–October: Mazatlàn (average score 79/100 vs 68). Puerto Vallarta is the warmer, around 33°C daytime highs vs 30°C.
Sea temperature
Puerto Vallarta's sea gets warmer: 32°C / 90°F at its peak vs 31°C. Swimmable water (21°C+): Mazatlàn all year, Puerto Vallarta all year. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Mazatlàn weather by month · Puerto Vallarta weather by month · Best time to visit Mexico.
More comparisons: Mazatlàn vs Culiacán · Mazatlàn vs Durango · Puerto Vallarta vs Guadalajara · Puerto Vallarta vs Aguascalientes · all head-to-heads