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Weather in Cozumel throughout the year

A must-see during any trip to Cancun and the Riviera Maya, the island of Cozumel is a destination surrounded by Caribbean waters and the first place where the sun’s rays touch Mexico.

In just a few years, this pristine island has become a favorite destination for both domestic and foreign visitors who want to visit its paradisiacal Mexican beaches.

The ancient Mayans used to make pilgrimages to Cozumel Island to worship the goddess Ixchel. Today families, couples and divers vacation at this destination for its fine white sand, turquoise sea and the wide variety of activities it offers.

For all that is found on its surface, as well as under its turquoise blue waters, Cozumel in Quintana Roo, attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world who seek to dive and snorkel to see its impressive and beautiful coral reefs, as well as visit some of its beautiful beaches, museums or sanctuaries.

As a curious fact, in 2019, it was 500 years since its founding as a city, it was on February 21, 1519 when Hernán Cortés landed on the island of Cozumel, the first Mexican stopover of his expedition that culminated with an outcome of great significance for world history.

For all this and much more, we will give you all the details and everything you need to know about the climate of this wonderful place, information that we hope will help you plan your next trip.

Average weather in Cozumel

In Cozumel, summers are long, very hot, wet and cloudy and winters are short, comfortable and mostly clear.

During the course of the year, the temperature generally varies from 19 ° to 32 °C and rarely drops below 14 °C or rises above 34 °C.

The best time of year to visit Cozumel for warm weather activities is from early December to mid-March.

Temperature

The hot season lasts 4.5 months, from May 3 to September 18, and the average daily maximum temperature is 31 °C.

The hottest day of the year in Cozumel is July 31, with an average maximum temperature of 32 °C and an average minimum temperature of 22 °C.

The cool season lasts 2.8 months, from December 1 to February 22, and the average daily maximum temperature is less than 28 °C.

The coldest day of the year is February 19, with an average minimum temperature of 19 °C and average maximum of 28 °C.

Sun

The length of the day in Cozumel varies throughout the year. In 2020, the shortest day is December 21, with 10 hours and 53 minutes of daylight; the longest day is June 20, with 13 hours and 23 minutes of daylight.

The earliest sunrise is at 6:06 AM on June 6, and the latest sunrise is 1 hour and 20 minutes later, at 7:26 AM on January 17.

The earliest sunset is at 18:05 PM on November 25, and the latest sunset is 1 hour and 26 minutes later at 19:32 PM on July 4.

Clouds

The average percentage of cloudy skies in Cozumel varies greatly throughout the year.

The clearest time of the year begins on November 1; it lasts 6.5 months and ends approximately on May 16.

The clearest day of the year is February 14.

The cloudiest time of the year begins on approximately May 16; it lasts 5.5 months and ends on approximately November 1.

June 28 is usually the cloudiest day of the year; skies are cloudy or mostly cloudy, mostly clear or partly cloudy.

Rain

In Cozumel it rains throughout the year. The rainy season lasts 5.3 months, from May 25 to November 4, with a probability of more than 35% that a certain day will be a wet day.

The wettest day of the year is usually September 26, with a maximum probability of 56% chance of rain.

The driest season lasts 6.7 months, from November 4 to May 25. The approximate day with the least amount of rain is March 16.

Humidity

In Cozumel the perceived humidity varies considerably. The wettest period of the year lasts 9.1 months, from March 16 to December 19, and during that time the comfort level is muggy for at least 73% of the time.

The wettest day of the year is August 23, with humidity 100% of the time.

The least humid day of the year is January 15, with humid conditions 63% of the time.

Wind

The average hourly wind speed in Cozumel has slight seasonal variations throughout the year. But all in all, if windy activities are your thing, Cozumel is the place to be.

The windiest part of the year lasts 7.9 months, from October 20 to June 17, with average wind speeds over 13.1 kilometers per hour. The windiest day of the year was March 15, with an average wind speed of 15.0 kilometers per hour.

The calmest time of the year lasts 4.1 months, from June 17 to October 20. The calmest day of the year is August 25, with an average wind speed of 11.2 kilometers per hour.

Best time of the year to visit Cozumel

With this information we already have elements to describe how pleasant the weather is in Cozumel during the year. It is pertinent to say that both locals and specialists recommend two periods for travel:

Tourist activities in general outdoors, are favored during clear days and without rain with temperatures between 18 °C and 27 °C. Based on this, the best time of the year to visit Cozumel is from early December to mid-March. The last week of January is the most recommended.

Beach/pool activities are favored on clear days, without rain, with perceived temperatures between 24 °C and 32 °C. Thus, the best time of the year to visit Cozumel for hot weather activities is from mid-November to early May. The third week of March is the best time to take a dip on the beach or in the pool.

The Virgin and Christ of Chankanaab in Cozumel

Within the great extension of beautiful beaches and abundant coral gardens between Mexico and Honduras, Cozumel, among hundreds of resorts, is among the three most popular destinations for sport diving, and this is due not only to the magnificent visibility -up to 60 m in optimal conditions- and pleasant water temperature (26-28°), but also to the spectacular beauty of its reef in the Chankanaab Park.

Although the Mayans call it “small sea”, the natural aquarium of Chankanaab is a lagoon that is part of the national reserve of the same name. Because of the tranquility of its waters, the lagoon has become the most visited site on the island, as you can safely practice free diving -without a tank- or sport diving. Its reefs shelter colonies of very attractive fish, and in its sandy bed the remains of some sunken ships and the image of the Christ of Cozumel wait patiently to be discovered by the intrepid that, at their own will, go down beyond 10 m of depth.

Chankanaab is one of the best for beginner divers. It is a marine park of Cozumel that has depths ranging from 3 to 12 meters. In the waters of Chankanaab you can observe besides the christ and the virgin, canyons, anchors and reef fish.

In this place is the statue of the submerged Christ of Chankanaab.

The Christ was placed by Ramon Bravo in 1994 in the reef of Chankanaab.

The Christ of Cozumel was placed on the reef of Palancar to prevent cruise ships from destroying the reef with their propellers, then in 1990 a hurricane knocked it down and it was relocated on the reef of Chankanaab Park.

Do you know the Virgin of Cozumel?

The image of the Virgin is submerged inside the Chankannab Park, and is venerated by the people of Cozumel.

The Virgin of Chankanaab, also called “The Queen of the Seas” is considered the protector of the island of Cozumel and its inhabitants, especially during the hurricane season, as the island receives the first onslaught of cyclones whose trajectory includes Quintana Roo.

This image was the first “Virgen de Mar” in the entity, placed in the 50’s, and is also believed to be the guardian of sailors, divers, captains and workers of the sea.

The Chankanaab Park was the site chosen to place it, but not on land, but submerged in the beach that is within it, and placed eight meters deep in a niche.

Since 1961, the Virgin of Chankanaab was taken from her vigil at the bottom of the sea, to go in procession to the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the island and officiate a mass in her honor.

The image of the Virgin of Chankanaab was made with the donation of 8,300 keys and bronze pieces.

The original statue remained in place, guarding the people of Cozumel until 2011, when it was stolen, until now its current location was unknown.

Today in its place rests a replica, which maintains the protection of its predecessor to the locals and tourists, who ask her to continue blessing them.

The statue of the “Virgin of the Sea” is respected by divers, sailors and fishermen alike, because of its According to the local legend, she is the one who takes care of the inhabitants of the island and keeps them safe. The statue in the lagoon of Chankanaab National Park is removed from the water, cleaned and venerated before being returned to the sea.

She returns to the sea on the 4th Sunday of October, leaving in procession from the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Chankanaab Park. More than 200 people came to accompany the “Virgen del Mar” on her way back to the sea.

The annual tradition dates back to 1962, although the current statue is a replica of the original that was stolen in 2011. The statue began its reign four years ago and was forged by bronze keys donated by the inhabitants of the island. The “Virgin of the Sea” is almost 28 inches (70 cm) tall and is estimated to weigh 28 pounds (13 kg.).

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To speak of Mexico is to speak of the Maya civilization, one of the most important in pre-Hispanic America.

Therefore, it is not surprising that every year millions of people want to admire in person the invaluable legacy left by this culture in Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco, the eastern part of Chiapas and Quintana Roo.
Precisely, in this state we can locate the island of Cozumel among the favorite destinations for those who decide to enjoy a vacation in this country.

For you to enjoy even more your trip to this paradise on the Caribbean coast and its Mayan heritage, here are a few curiosities that you will probably like to know.

Things you have to know about Cozumel

Cozumel, in Mayan language Kosom Lumil, is the third largest island in Mexico and the second most populated.
It is one of the 11 municipalities of the State of Quintana Roo, is located 18 kilometers from the Yucatan Peninsula and just over 60 kilometers from Cancun.

It is also known as the Land of the Swallows due to the large number of these birds that fly over this territory founded by the Mayas as a sacred sanctuary and commercial stop.

The enchanting island has been the scene of historical events that have marked it, making it an exotic island, like something out of a fairy tale. It has sheltered Mayans, Spaniards and even reckless pirates.

Despite this, it has always been a peaceful island and its inhabitants seem to be enraptured by a love and respect for the Mayan culture as in few other places.

The Arrecifes National Park (Great Mayan Reef) and its spectacular corals and marine fauna are some of the reasons why Cozumel is considered one of the top 5 diving destinations in the world.

Around the 60’s the renowned filmmaker, diver, oceanographer and writer Jacques Cousteau after having explored the seas throughout the world aboard his ship Calypso, declared that Cozumel was the best place to dive and, as if by magic, all diving lovers fixed their eyes on this small island making it one of the best places to practice this sport.

The people of Cozumel in gratitude to Jacques Cousteau have placed a statue of him at the bottom of the sea.

If you don’t want to swim underwater to appreciate the marine fauna, coral formations and even a sunken ship, you can dive in a real submarine!

Although Cozumel does not have extensive white sand beaches, since its geography is rather rocky, there are at least 3 that are a must-see:
Punta Chiqueros – with a still rather “wild” environment -; Playa Palancar, one of the most popular and highly recommended for snorkeling; and Playa de Chen Rio, which looks more like a swimming pool, thanks to the rocks that surround the place and slow down the swell.

Archaeological sites in Riviera Maya

Among the most important archaeological sites to visit in Cozumel are the San Gervasio Ruins, where the sanctuary dedicated to “Ixchel”, the Mayan goddess of fertility, was erected.

The first inhabitants of Cozumel were the Mayas, who worshipped the goddess Ixchel, deity of fertility, childbirth, love and gestation. The love of the Mayan people for the goddess Ixchel was such that a sanctuary was built for her and it was the duty of every woman to go at least once in her life to worship her. It is said that the goddess Ixchel in gratitude made them bring from the sky the favorite birds of the Mayas, hence the name La Isla de las Golondrinas (Island of the Swallows). In Mayan Cuzam is swallow and Luum, place, giving origin to the name Cuzamil. The Spaniards, unable to pronounce it accurately, began to deform it to Cozumel.

However, you will have to board a boat to go to the mainland and tour the Mayan settlements of Chitchen Itza, Tulum and Coba.

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