Best time to visit Cancun
The best time to visit Cancun for a beach holiday is during the warm, dry season from December through April, with March the ideal time as it's the driest month and humidity is low.
You can expect sunny, dry days with an average high temperature of 29°C (84°F).
Cancun weather
Cancun has a tropical climate with two distinct seasons: a warm, relatively dry season from November through April, and a hot and humid, wet season from May though October.
From late-November to early-March, a wind from the north, called el Norte, can blow, bringing cool, cloudy and windy days, with some rain.
What is the best month to visit Cancun?
March is the best month to visit Cancun – you can expect warm, sunny weather, with clear blue skies and little or no rainfall.
However, anytime during the dry season from November to April is good.
Which is the hottest month in Cancun?
July is usually the hottest month in Cancun, with an average daytime high temperature around 32°C (89°F), with high heat and humidity and a low of 24°C (75°F).
The hot season lasts from mid-June to late-September, with an average daily high temperature above 31°C (87°F).
However, on the warmest days of the year, the temperature usually reaches around 34°C (93°F).
Which is the coldest month in Cancun?
The coldest month of the year at Cancun is January, with an average high of 27°C (80°F) and a low of 19°C (66°F).
The cooler winter season lasts from early-December to early-March, with an average daily high temperature below 28°C (82°F).
Which is the sunniest month in Cancun?
The sunniest month in Cancun is usually April with an average of 8.5 hours of sunshine per day; that's on average 67% of daylight hours.
When is the sea warmest in Cancun?
The sea is usually at its warmest in Cancun in August when the water temperature reaches 29°C (84°F), which is very pleasant for swimming.
The sea in Cancun is warm enough to swim year-round.
Which month has the most rain in Cancun?
September is usually the wettest month in Cancun with 225mm (9in) of rainfall on average, distributed across 14 days.
The wet season lasts from late-May through to early-November, with a greater than 32% chance of rainfall on any given day. The rains typically fall as short but intense tropical downpours.
Rain falls throughout the year in Cancun.
The drier season lasts from early-November to late-May. The month with the least rainfall in Cancun is March, with an average of 35mm (1in ) of rainfall, distributed across three days.
Which is the windiest month in Cancun?
The windiest month of the year in Cancun is March, with an average hourly wind speed of 15 kilometres per hour (9 mph; 8 knots).
The windy part of the year lasts from mid-October through to early-June, with average wind speeds of more than 13 kilometres per hour (8 mph; 7 knots).
The less-windy time of year lasts from early-June through to mid-October. The calmest month of the year in Cancun is August, with an average hourly wind speed of 11 kilometres per hour (7 mph; 6 knots).
The predominant average hourly wind direction varies throughout the year in Cancun.
What's the likelihood of a storm in Cancun?
The months of June through October all carry a slight risk of a tropical storm, with the likelihood greatest in September at 3.9%.
Cancun Weather Averages
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average daily max (°C) | |||||||||||
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 28 |
| Average daily min (°C) | |||||||||||
| 19 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 20 |
| Average daily sunshine (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Average daily daylight (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfort level | |||||||||||
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| Average relative humidity (%) | |||||||||||
| 78 | 77 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 79 | 78 | 79 | 82 | 82 | 80 | 79 |
| UV Index (max) | |||||||||||
| 7 | 9 | 11 | 11+ | 11+ | 11+ | 11+ | 11+ | 11 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
| Average days of rainfall (≥1mm) | |||||||||||
| 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 7 |
| Average monthly rainfall (mm) | |||||||||||
| 65 | 55 | 35 | 40 | 110 | 185 | 130 | 150 | 225 | 185 | 85 | 80 |
| Average wind speed (km/h) | |||||||||||
| 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 |
| Average sea temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 |
| Cancun, Mexico | |||||||||||
Holiday seasons
High season: Mid-December to April.
Low season: From May to mid-December, when prices at many hotels drop by 10 to 30 per cent.
Cancun weather by month
Note: Meteorological data for Cancun is based on weather statistics gathered for the 10-year period 2010 to 2020, and is sourced from the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) – Mexico's national weather organisation – at the closest weather station, Cancun International Airport (CUN), which is located 20km (12mi) south of central Cancun. Additional climate data is sourced from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Advice on the best time to visit a particular destination is based on average local weather statistics, when the weather conditions are generally better than at other times of the year. We consider high and low temperatures, risk of rain (and thunderstorms, etc.), amount of sunshine and sea temperature. For general outdoor activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 18°C (64°F) and 27°C (80°F); and for hot-weather activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 24°C (75°F) and 32°C (89°F). Often, the best times to visit correspond to high season and therefore involve higher prices.
Latest update: Best time to visit Cancun: 8 October, 2023
Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided as is, without any assurances as to its accuracy or suitability for any purpose. Weather data and conditions at any given location and time are unpredictable and variable. We assume no responsibility and can not be held legally responsible for any decisions made on the basis of the information presented on this site.
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