Mexico's Coldest Temperature on Record: -38°C in La Rosilla, Chihuahua (1957)

The lowest temperature ever officially recorded in Mexico is −38 °C (−36.4 °F), measured on January 27, 1957 at the La Rosilla weather station in the municipality of Guerrero, Chihuahua, in the high Sierra Madre Occidental.

Context

• Elevation: La Rosilla sits at ~2,400 m (7,874 ft) in a high valley prone to radiative cooling.
• Conditions: Clear skies, fresh snow cover, calm winds, Arctic air mass — perfect for extreme cold.
• Verification: Recorded by Mexico's National Meteorological Service (SMN); recognized by WMO.

Other Notable Cold Records

• −30 °C (−22 °F) – Ciudad Madera, Chihuahua (Jan 1962).
• −28.5 °C (−19.3 °F) – Toluca, Estado de México (Jan 1971).
• −25 °C (−13 °F) – Apizaco, Tlaxcala (Dec 1997).
• −17 °C (1.4 °F) – Mexico City (Tacubaya observatory, Jan 1967).

Climate Zones

Mexico's extreme cold occurs only in high-altitude interior basins (Altiplano, Sierra Madre). Coastal and lowland areas never approach freezing. The national average low is mild due to vast tropical/subtropical territory.

La Rosilla's record stands as a testament to the climatic diversity of a country spanning deserts, jungles, and alpine peaks.