Today's weather for Riviera Maya, Mexico26th Jul 2008 10:41

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Weather Overview for Riviera Maya

Riviera Maya is a tourism area lying on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. It is situated in the district of Quintana Roo, on the east coast of the peninsula. Running from Cancun in the north to Tulum in the south, the riviera is famed for its fantastic beaches and great climate.

Riviera Maya’s climate is a tropical one with warm temperatures year round and two distinct seasons: wet from May to October and dry from November to April.

Yearly average temperature for the region is around 26ºC and around 1400mm of rain falls each year on average.

June and July is the hottest time; temperatures in the mid 30s are not uncommon and it can get up to 40C. Thanks to the coastal location however, there is nearly always a cooling sea breeze so it doesn’t feel as hot as the inland areas.

In general the wet season sees slightly hotter temperatures than the dry season, although there is little fluctuation and monthly averages vary between 23C in January and 28C between June and September.

Though rain is plentiful across the wet season, the heaviest rains come at the end of season; September and October are the wettest months and can see over 200mm of rain. The rains shouldn’t necessarily put you off travelling since the rainfall often occurs in short but heavy tropical downpours, leaving plenty of sunny weather. Rainstorms often last just a couple of hours before the blue sky returns.

December to February represents a brief cool period, and coupled with the dry weather, it makes a great time to visit. Average temperature in these months is 23C or 24C with highs of 28C and lows down to 19C.

March and April is the driest time of year, with about 40mm per month on average. The dry season experiences cooler temperatures as the northern trade winds prevail at this time. These winds give cooling breezes along the coast.

The sea breezes do certainly make the hottest days more comfortable, but there is one big disadvantage with being on or close to the coast in this region and that is the threat posed by hurricanes.

Hurricane season in the region is officially from June to October. Late in the season sees the most hurricane activity. In reality direct hurricane hits are rare, about one every 10 or 12 years on average. Tropical storms are more likely and the region can also be troubled by the tail end of hurricanes that pass further away. Strong winds and heavy rains are common in the wet season but normally pose no more than a brief nuisance.

When a hurricane does hit, however, they can be devastating. The region was ravaged by Hurricane Wilma in October 2005 which was at a category 5 (the maximum) when it hit land. The storm battered the riviera for nearly 3 days with winds of up to 130mph, causing widespread damage.

Humidity is fairly high in Riviera Maya but never gets too uncomfortable. Across the year it varies between 76% and 81% with April time seeing the lowest level and around November the greatest.

Sea temperature is always warm, helping the make the area such a popular year round beach destination. Water temperature averages about 27ºC across the year, fluctuating from 23ºC at its coolest up to almost 30ºC. Swimming can be enjoyed year round.

You can visit the Riviera at any time of year, although December to April is the most popular time, and September and October the quietest months. Even in the wet season you can still find plenty of sunshine and many people choose to take advantage of fewer crowds and cheaper prices at this time.

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