Playa del Carmen month by month

The weather, the sea, sargassum, events and crowds for each month of the year, so you can pick your dates. Every figure comes from a named source.

All twelve months

Month	High / low	Sea	Rain	Sargassum (typical)	Crowds
January	82 / 65°F (28°C / 18°C)	80°F (27°C)	1.7 in, 19% wet-day chance	Usually light	High season
February	82 to 84 / 65°F (28 to 29°C / 18°C)	79°F (26°C)	1.5 in, 16% to 19% wet-day chance	Usually light	High season
March	84 to 87 / 65 to 67°F (29 to 31°C / 18 to 19°C)	80°F (27°C)	1.3 in, 15% wet-day chance	Usually light	High season, busiest
April	87 to 89 / 67 to 70°F (31 to 32°C / 19 to 21°C)	81°F (27°C)	1.3 to 1.7 in, 15% wet-day chance	Season starts	Busy, then easing
May	90 / 70 to 72°F (32°C / 21 to 22°C)	82°F (28°C)	1.7 to 4.7 in, 15% to 40% wet-day chance	Often present	Quieter
June	89 / 73°F (32°C / 23°C)	83°F (28°C)	4.4 to 4.7 in, 37% to 40% wet-day chance	Typically heaviest	Quiet
July	90 / 72°F (32°C / 22°C)	84°F (29°C)	3.5 to 4.3 in, 38% wet-day chance	Typically heaviest	Moderate
August	90 / 72°F (32°C / 22°C)	84°F (29°C)	3.5 to 4.4 in, 39% to 46% wet-day chance	Often still heavy	Moderate
September	87 to 89 / 72°F (31 to 32°C / 22°C)	84°F (29°C)	4.5 to 6.2 in, 46% to 55% wet-day chance	Easing	Typically quietest
October	85 to 87 / 69 to 72°F (29 to 31°C / 21 to 22°C)	84°F (29°C)	4.4 to 6.2 in, 36% to 54% wet-day chance	Easing	Quiet
November	83 to 85 / 67 to 69°F (28 to 29°C / 19 to 21°C)	82°F (28°C)	2.3 to 4.3 in, 23% to 36% wet-day chance	Usually light	Quiet, then rising
December	82 / 65 to 67°F (28°C / 18 to 19°C)	81°F (27°C)	1.6 to 2.3 in, 19% to 23% wet-day chance	Usually light	Quiet, then high season

Weather figures are long-term averages from Weather Spark (Cozumel and Cancun airports plus NASA MERRA-2 data, 1980 to 2016), not a forecast. Rain is Weather Spark's sliding 31-day average. A wet day has at least 0.04 in of rain. Sargassum is the typical pattern. Crowds are a judgment based on the school and holiday calendar and on the usual high season.

How to choose a month

For dry, mild weather, pick December to March. Highs stay near 82 to 87°F and the chance of a wet day is 15 to 23%. This is also the high season, which runs from about mid-December to mid-April, so it is the busiest time.

For the warmest sea, pick June to October (83 to 84°F). The trade-offs are heat and humidity (muggy almost every day from June to September), more rain, the sargassum season, and the Atlantic hurricane season (June 1 to November 30, with most activity from mid-August to mid-October).

For quiet beaches and room to spare, May, June, September and October are the calmest. Late November is a good middle: the air cools, the rain eases and the high season has not started.

Sea, sand and wildlife in short

Sargassum is a typical pattern here, never a forecast. It is usually lightest from November to March and heavier from April to October, with the Atlantic-wide peak in June or July. Check the beach on the day.

The whale shark swimming period off Isla Mujeres and Holbox runs May 15 to September 17. Sea turtles nest on the central Quintana Roo coast from April to September. Do not touch turtles.

Prices and availability

Nightly rates at Penthouse 315 change by date, so check the stay page for your dates. The busiest stretches are Christmas to New Year's, Holy Week and the weeks around them.

Events and holidays by month

January: School winter break
February: Constitution Day; Carnaval de Playa del Carmen
March: Semana Santa and Pascua
April: Semana Santa and Pascua
July: Feria del Carmen; School summer holiday starts
September: Independence Day
October: Playa del Carmen Jazz Fest; Festival de Vida y Muerte at Xcaret; Hanal Pixan and Day of the Dead
November: Festival de Vida y Muerte at Xcaret; Hanal Pixan and Day of the Dead; Revolution Day
December: School winter break; Playa Fest, New Year's Eve

Questions

What is the best month to visit Playa del Carmen?

For the driest, mildest weather, December to March, with highs of 82 to 87°F (28 to 31°C) and a 15 to 23% chance of a wet day (Weather Spark). That is also the high season and the busiest. For fewer people, May, June, September and October are quieter, but they are hotter, more humid and rainier.

What is the rainiest month in Playa del Carmen?

September has the highest chance of a wet day (46 to 55%), and the sliding 31-day rainfall peaks at 6.2 in on September 29. The wet season runs from about May 25 to November 4 (Weather Spark).

When is the sea warmest and coolest?

The sea is warmest in September at 84°F (29°C) and coolest in February at 79°F (26°C), per Weather Spark. July to October are all around 84°F (29°C).

When is sargassum worst in Playa del Carmen?

Typically from April to October, with the Atlantic-wide peak in June or July. November to March is usually light. This is the usual pattern, not a forecast, and it varies by beach and by day.

When is hurricane season in Playa del Carmen?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. The peak is around September 10, and most activity falls between mid-August and mid-October (NOAA National Hurricane Center).