Cancún at a glance
- Best time
- Jul, Nov – May
- Warmest month
- Aug · 30°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 29.3°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,870 h
- Rain a year
- 1,165 mm
- Climate
- Tropical
- Time zone
- UTC−5
- Elevation
- 11 m
Climate in Cancún
Cancún has a tropical climate: it is warm all year round, and the seasons differ mainly in how much rain falls. August is the warmest month with average highs of 30 °C, while January is the coolest at 25 °C. With around 2,870 hours of sunshine a year, Cancún is sunny; July is the sunniest month with 9.5 hours a day.
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Good
Best time to visit: July, November – May
October is the peak of the hurricane season
What is the weather like in Cancún in October?
In October, Cancún is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 28.9 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 20 days, totalling 181 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, October is a good month for a holiday in Cancún.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 42 min06:42 – 18:24
- UV index
- 9 · very highclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 29 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 18 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 57 %on average
- Hot days
- 2 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC−5America/Cancun
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %100 %
- Seaweight 25 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %62 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in October
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Cancún
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 28.4 – 29.5 °C
Swimming season: All year
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Cancún ranges from 26.4 °C in February to 29.3 °C in August. At 20 °C and more, the sea is warm enough for swimming all year round.
From October to February the sea is even warmer than the afternoon air. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in August, eight out of ten years were between 28.8 and 29.8 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 26.6° | 26.2° | 27.2° | warm |
| FebruaryFeb | 26.4° | 25.8° | 26.9° | warm |
| MarchMar | 26.5° | 26.0° | 27.0° | warm |
| AprilApr | 27.0° | 26.7° | 27.4° | warm |
| MayMay | 27.9° | 27.5° | 28.3° | warm |
| JuneJun | 28.5° | 28.1° | 28.9° | warm |
| JulyJul | 28.9° | 28.5° | 29.3° | warm |
| AugustAug | 29.3° | 28.8° | 29.8° | very warm |
| SeptemberSep | 29.3° | 28.9° | 29.8° | very warm |
| OctoberOct | 28.9° | 28.4° | 29.5° | warm |
| NovemberNov | 28.1° | 27.6° | 28.8° | warm |
| DecemberDec | 27.3° | 26.5° | 28.0° | warm |
Sunshine hours in Cancún
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 6.7 of 11.7 hours of daylight in Cancún, 57 % of the day.
Sunshine hours count the time with bright, direct sunshine (WMO definition, estimated from model data); daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain in Cancún: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Cancún has about 20 rainy days with 181 mm of rain in total.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 83 | 25° | 22° | 26.6° | 6.3 h | 10 | 50 |
| FebruaryFeb | 90 | 26° | 23° | 26.4° | 7.5 h | 7 | 37 |
| MarchMar | 94 | 27° | 23° | 26.5° | 8.2 h | 6 | 27 |
| AprilApr | 96 | 28° | 25° | 27.0° | 8.8 h | 6 | 34 |
| MayMay | 88 | 29° | 26° | 27.9° | 8.9 h | 12 | 80 |
| JuneJun | 77 | 29° | 26° | 28.5° | 8.1 h | 19 | 168 |
| JulyJul | 81 | 30° | 27° | 28.9° | 9.5 h | 18 | 110 |
| AugustAug | 79 | 30° | 27° | 29.3° | 8.8 h | 21 | 149 |
| SeptemberSep | 75 | 29° | 26° | 29.3° | 7.6 h | 24 | 193 |
| OctoberOct | 72 | 28° | 25° | 28.9° | 6.7 h | 20 | 181 |
| NovemberNov | 82 | 27° | 24° | 28.1° | 6.9 h | 12 | 83 |
| DecemberDec | 83 | 26° | 23° | 27.3° | 6.8 h | 11 | 55 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)
21.17° N, 86.85° W · 11 m · America/Cancun
Best time to visit Cancún
The best time to visit Cancún is in July and from November to May. For a beach holiday with the sea above 21 °C, go from November to May. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from November to March. Rain is most frequent from June to November; the wettest month is September with 193 mm.
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Cancún for you.
Your best months: March – May
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
Nov – May
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Nov – Mar
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Jun – Nov
12 or more rainy days
Cancún month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
83January25° · Sea 27° · 6 h
In January, Cancún is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 22 °C. The sea averages 26.6 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 50 mm in total. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, January is an excellent month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in January90February26° · Sea 26° · 8 h
In February, Cancún is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 23 °C. The sea averages 26.4 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 37 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, February is an excellent month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in February94March27° · Sea 27° · 8 h
In March, Cancún is hot: daytime highs average 27 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 23 °C. The sea averages 26.5 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 27 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, March is an excellent month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in March96April28° · Sea 27° · 9 h
In April, Cancún is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 27.0 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 34 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, April is an excellent month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in April88May29° · Sea 28° · 9 h
In May, Cancún is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sea averages 27.9 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 80 mm in total. On about 7 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in May77June29° · Sea 29° · 8 h
In June, Cancún is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sea averages 28.5 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 19 days, totalling 168 mm. On about 6 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, June is a good month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in June81July30° · Sea 29° · 10 h
In July, Cancún is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 27 °C. The sea averages 28.9 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 18 days, totalling 110 mm. On about 14 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, July is an excellent month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in July79August30° · Sea 29° · 9 h
In August, Cancún is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 27 °C. The sea averages 29.3 °C – almost as warm as a bath. The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 21 days, totalling 149 mm. On about 16 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, August is a good month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in August75September29° · Sea 29° · 8 h
In September, Cancún is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sea averages 29.3 °C – almost as warm as a bath. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 24 days, totalling 193 mm. On about 8 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, September is a good month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in September72October28° · Sea 29° · 7 h
In October, Cancún is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 28.9 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 20 days, totalling 181 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, October is a good month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in October82November27° · Sea 28° · 7 h
In November, Cancún is warm: daytime highs average 27 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. The sea averages 28.1 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 83 mm in total. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, November is an excellent month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in November83December26° · Sea 27° · 7 h
In December, Cancún is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 23 °C. The sea averages 27.3 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 55 mm in total. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, December is an excellent month for a holiday in Cancún.
Cancún in DecemberPlanning a trip to Cancún
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 10 h 5 min
- Distance
- 7,940 km
- Time zone
- UTC−5
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Storm season
Cancún lies in an area that Atlantic hurricanes can reach. The hurricane season runs from June to November, with most storms from August to October. A direct hit on any one place is rare, but if you travel then, keep an eye on weather warnings and book flexibly.
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June: Season
- July: Season
- August: Peak
- September: Peak
- October: Peak
- November: Season
- December
Official season dates of the regional warning centres (NOAA, JMA, IMD, Météo-France, BoM); not a forecast.
Frequently asked questions about Cancún
When is the best time to visit Cancún?
The best time to visit Cancún is in July and from November to May. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Cancún?
The sea temperature in Cancún ranges from 26.4 °C in February to 29.3 °C in August. At 20 °C and more, the sea is warm enough for swimming all year round.
Can you swim in Cancún in October?
Yes. In October the sea averages 28.9 °C – lovely and warm for swimming.
What is the warmest month in Cancún?
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C and nights around 27 °C. January is the coolest month at 25 °C.
When does it rain most in Cancún?
Rain is most frequent from June to November; the wettest month is September with 193 mm. The driest month is March with 27 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Cancún get?
Cancún gets around 2,870 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 9.5 hours a day; in January there are 6.3 hours a day.
What time zone is Cancún in?
Cancún uses the time zone America/Cancun, at UTC−5 all year.
How long is the flight from London to Cancún?
A nonstop flight from London to Cancún takes about 10 h 5 min, for a straight-line distance of about 7,940 km.
When is hurricane season in Cancún?
Cancún lies in an area that Atlantic hurricanes can reach. The hurricane season runs from June to November, with most storms from August to October. A direct hit on any one place is rare, but if you travel then, keep an eye on weather warnings and book flexibly.
Near Cancún
Other destinations close by.