Weather in Playacar
A popular holiday destination, the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico is home to a number of resorts visitors flock to each year, including Playacar. Enjoying a shoreline where the Gulf of Mexican and Atlantic Ocean meet, Playacar sits just south of the well-known resort of Cancun and is part of the province of Quintana Roo. Split into two sections, Phase 1 of Playacar features 5-star hotels and beaches close to the nightlife of Playa del Carmen, whilst Phase 2 is home to one of the region's best golf courses.
Playacar enjoys a tropical climate with warm temperatures year round and two distinct seasonset and dry. The dry season generally begins in November and lasts until April. Rainfall is low in this period, though there are still some brief showers especially at the beginning and end of the season. The wet season usually arrives in May and lasts until late October and around 70% of the yearly rainfall occurs during these months.
Temperature and Rainfall
Temperatures average about 26°C (around 79°F) across the year, with an average of 1400mm of rainfall over the year, most of which falls in the wet season between May and October.
Humidity
Humidity can be quite high in Playacar, often around 80%, and is at its lowest in April and May. Thanks to the coast breezes that blow through the area all year round, while humid, the air still feels pleasant and not too uncomfortable.
Average Sea Temperature
And if it does feel uncomfortable, you can take advantage of the sea temperatures that are warm year round, averaging about 27°C (around 81°F), to take a quick dip to cool off.
Even during the wet season, the warm air and water temperatures make Playacar a great choice for a holiday away. The rainy season shouldn't put you off visiting because the rain usually occurs in short, but heavy, tropical downpours, meaning there's still plenty of sunshine afterwards. Rainstorms often last just a couple of hours before the blue sky returns.
Summer Weather in Playacar
Temperature
June and July are the hottest months of the year with temperatures in the mid 30°Cs not uncommon. The average temperatures for June, July and August remain constant at 28°C (about 82°F). Since Playacar is on the coast however, there is almost always a cooling sea breeze. This means temperatures don't get as hot as areas inland that can see the mercury rising up to 40°C (about 104°F). Still, the lows for the summer months only drop to 25°C to 26°C (around 77°F to 78°F).
Rainfall
The average rainfall for the summer months range between 109mm and 178mm each month, falling over 12 to 13 days. There's still abundant sunshine though, with an average of 10 hours each day for June, July and August. The ocean temperatures feel great too, averaging 28°C to 29°C (about 82°F to 84°F), perfect conditions for swimming and watersports.
Autumn Weather in Playacar
Temperature
The resort starts to see some cooling come September, October and November, with an average temperature of 25°C to 28°C (around 77°F to 82°F). The lows for autumn fall to 22°C to 24°C (around 72°F to 76°F). All the months during the wet season average at least 100mm of rainfall, but the months of September and October, at the end of the wet season, generally see the most rain. These months can see more than 200mm falling, with anywhere from 7 to 15 days of rainfall.
Average Sunshine Hours
The sun shines 8 to 9 hours a day during the autumn months, plenty of time to enjoy time outdoors between dodging raindrops. This time of the year is still ideal for swimming and watersports, with average sea temperatures of 28°C to 29°C (about 82°F to 84°F).
Winter Weather in Playacar
Temperature
January and February are the coolest months of the year with an average temperature of 23°C (about 73°F). March warms up slightly to 25°C (about 77°F). The comfortable temperatures and low rainfall at this time of year make it the most popular time to visit. Even in the coolest months the temperatures rarely fall much below 19°C to 22°C (around 66°F to 72°F) and highs of 27°C (81°F) are experienced.
Rainfall
The average rainfall amounts range from 56mm to 109mm, falling over 5 to 7 days each month, a large drop from the wetter summer months.
Average Sunshine Hours
When visiting, you can expect an average of 8 hours of sunshine a day, ample time to get out and about.
Average Sea Temperature
The water feels good too; sea temperatures average 26°C to 27°C (about 79°F to 81°F), ideal for swimming, sunbathing and sailing considering it is winter-time in most European destinations.
Spring Weather in Playacar
Temperature
From March, temperatures begin to build once more, with averages between 25°C and 27°C (about 77°F to 81°F) and highs frequently in the 30s and lows in the mid-20s.
Rainfall
March and April, the end of the dry season, are the driest months of the year with just over 40mm average rainfall each. May sees the start of the wet season again with an average of 117mm of rainfall over 7 days.
Average Sunshine Hours
This period is an ideal time to visit Playacar as sunshine is in abundance and rainfall low for a majority of the time. For example, spring received 10 to 11 hours of sunshine each day on average over the three months.
Average Sea Temperature
Like the other seasons, spring's average sea temperatures stay warm, averaging 26°C to 28°C (around 79°F to 82°F).
Weather Hazards
Hurricane season in the region officially runs from June to October, although September and October are the most likely months for one to occur. The last significant hurricane to hit Playacar and the surrounding region was Hurricane Wilma in October of 2005. A Category 5 when it hit land, it was a particularly fearsome hurricane and showed just what damage nature can inflict. The storm battered the area for nearly 3 days with winds of up to 130mph and caused more than $3 billion of damage.
Don't be afraid to choose Playacar for your resort destination though, even during the hurricane season. The chances of being caught in one are quite low; Playacar is only directly hit by one every 12 years on average. More likely is being caught in the tail end of a large storm the area is 'brushed' by a hurricane once every 2.5 years on average. The summer of 2007 saw a near miss from hurricane Dean.
Warnings and predictions are very accurate and past experience has taught the region how to cope, with the introduction of emergency and evacuation procedures. Most hotels are hurricane proof and staff know what to do in the event of an impending hurricane.