Weather Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta has a tropical climate with extremely pronounced wet and dry seasons. High temperatures are assured year round thanks to its positioning so close to the equator, and it is often compared to Hawaii which sits at the same latitude. Puerto Vallarta is a resort city in Mexico, on the country's west coast. Based on the Pacific Ocean it has a collection of beautiful beaches surrounding its coastline, as well as a series of superb cultural activities to get stuck into.
Puerto Vallarta's climate actually sees much less extreme storms than surrounding areas due to the south-westerly direction of the winds, which mean weather systems pass over Cabo Corrientes before they reach the resort. Puerto Vallarta is also somewhat protected from Pacific winds due to the curve of the bay, and the high mountains covered in thick rainforest that rise right behind it, and drop straight into the sea around it. The winds which do affect the sea and the Pacific currents mean Puerto Vallarta is a great surfing spot, as well as a popular place for other water sports like kitesurfing and paragliding.
Most importantly, Puerto Vallarta does not have a hurricane season to watch out for, unlike eastern Mexican resorts such as Cozumel and Cancun. This is because it is on the Pacific coast - far from the hurricane belt. Overall, the resort could therefore be preferable to others in Mexico for year-round trips.
Dry Season in Puerto Vallarta
The dry season, which lasts from November till May inclusively, is preferable to the wet season in every way for holidaymakers; temperatures and humidity are more amenable; the sun shines for longer and, unsurprisingly, there is much less rain.
Rainfall
In fact, Puerto Vallarta is incredibly dry for a tropical region, seeing almost no rainfall throughout this drier season and only 1 or 2 wet days a month. The most you'll see is in December, when an average of 25mm falls throughout the month. This decreases rapidly and the season continues with only 23mm, 10mm, 7mm, 5mm, 9mm falling in January, February, March, April, and May respectively. The odd storm will always occur, but very infrequently.
Temperature
The average high temperature drops from 31°C in November to the annual 'low' of 29°C in January and February, before creeping back up to 33°C in May, so you don't need to worry about cold winters here! In general daily temperatures never really dip below 22°C throughout the season, and you can expect warmer temperatures at the beginning of the season - 25°C in November and at the end of the season - 26°C in May. Night-times will at least becoming pleasantly cool, dropping to around 14°C and trust us, you're welcome this respite.
Sunshine Hours
The sun shines for around 10 hours per day for most of this season which is glorious, and there are less overcast skies because rainfall is less. During the winter months the prevailing wind comes from the north, bringing refreshment with it. This is much needed as even in these cooler months most people will find the heat and humidity hard to adjust to.
Sea Temperature
Even the sea temperatures don't offer much respite at this time of year, with the water sitting at a whopping 28°C in November, 27°C in December, and between 24°C and 26°C from January through to May. Still, if you've always fancied swimming in a cup of tea, this could be the place for you!
Wet Season in Puerto Vallarta
The wet season lasts from June till October and is characterised by immense tropical storms in which astounding amounts of rain crash to the earth.
Rainfall
Rainfall increases very suddenly after a dry May and peaks from July through to September with about 350mm of rain falling each month, across 15 wet days. If you travel at this time, you will see some! However, there is slightly less rain in June and October, with 183mm and 131mm falling throughout each of these months respectively.
Storm and Sunshine Hours
The good news is, storms usually occur later on in the day or at night and are generally brief, so you are still likely to see blazing sunshine at least from morning till midday. The days are fairly long at this time of year, with between 8 or 9 hours of sunshine every day from June to September, which means it is still pleasant weather for a holiday when it is dry, but it can often become overcast, usually in the rapid build-up to a storm. Storms appear quickly so you will need to keep an eye on the sky. They may come as a welcome relief from the heat though! Not to mention, after a characteristic tropical storm, you're likely to be greeted with glorious sunshine and clear skies in its wake.
Temperature
In fact, the average high temperature increases to 33°C during the summer months, remaining consistent throughout the season. With the added humidity and moisture from the wet season the evenings do not cool off to a great extent the average low temperature does not fall below 21°C for the entire season.
Daily average temperatures sit at around 27°C throughout the season, providing a consistently warm climate which is ideal for beach-days (excepting the rain) but it does mean you should take care in the sun.
Sea Temperature
Luckily, winds coming from the southwest can provide refreshment from the searing temperatures, but these winds also create choppy waves so be careful if you're taking a swim. Swimming will most likely become one of your favourite activities too, with gorgeous sea temperatures sitting at 28°C and 29°C for most of the season, but often hitting 30°C in August.