Climate
It’s warm all year round, so regardless of when you book your vacation, you’ll be heading off to some hot and humid weather. It’s warm enough to go for a swim any time of the year.
The warmest months are June to September, with an average temperature of 82°F/28°C. The coolest months are December to February, with an average temperature of 73°F/23°C.
Rain
Rain shouldn’t stop you from planning a trip to the Mayan Riviera. Rainstorms here are tropical in nature, which means that the rain approaches quickly, and goes away just as fast. As a result, most hotels, resorts, parks, activities and tours continue to operate in rainy days because the rain usually doesn’t last longer than a few minutes to an hour.
If you really want to minimize the risk of rain, try to avoid travel during the rainy season of July to October. These months see higher than average rainfall compared to the rest of the year.
Hurricanes
The Yucatan Peninsula is far enough from the Caribbean to be missed by most hurricanes. This means that most hurricane don’t reach Cancun, or by the time a hurricane gets near, it’s downgraded to a less severe tropical storm. The last hurricanes to hit Cancun were hurricane Delta in 2020, and hurricane Wilma in 2005. This should give you an idea of how rare hurricanes are in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Hurricane season goes from June to November. During October, hurricanes usually head more west. This means that a hurricane is more likely to reach the Yucatan Peninsula in the latter part of hurricane season, but that shouldn’t stop you from planning a trip. For this very reason, September and October are the low season, which means many hotels will start discounting their rates and offer better much deals.
It’s a good idea to take some of that money you saved and invest in travel insurance. That way, you’ll be covered in the rare event that you need to reschedule or cancel a trip due to severe weather.
Remember, hurricanes don’t strike by surprise. Meteorologists are able to accurately predict their size, path, and time of arrival. Just keep an eye on the local forecast before leaving for your trip. Local authorities and tourist workers are also trained to handle such situations, so they’ll be ready to guide you and keep to you safe during severe weather.
When to go / High Season
Temperature wise, any time of the year is good. The weather is always warm and so is the sea. As mentioned above, the rain usually isn’t as big a deal as you would think. The main thing worth considering is if you plan to go during hurricane season, in which case travel insurance is recommended.
As for tourist seasons, given the year-round great weather, the difference between the high and low seasons isn’t that big. With that said, here are the tourist seasons:
- High Season
- March & April
- July & August
- December & early January (for Christmas & New Years)
- Shoulder Season
- late January & February
- May & June
- Low Season
- September & October
In Summary, the weather is lovely all year round, and regardless of which season you visit, you’ll have an amazing time. Just be sure to plan ahead.
If you want more details on the climate of Riviera Maya, click here.