Cancún (Riviera Maya) weather in December

December in Cancún: hot, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Cancún🇲🇽 Mexico · Yucatán & Belize · Beach87
  1. 87Jan
  2. 91Feb
  3. 93Mar
  4. 92Apr
  5. 86May
  6. 77Jun
  7. 85Jul
  8. 80Aug
  9. 78Sep
  10. 79Oct
  11. 86Nov
  12. 87Dec

#5 of 12 months in Cancún · #200 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 87/100 (tier A)

Days
28°C
Nights
21°C
Wet days
12
Sun
9.3 h
Humidity
75%
Daylight
11 h
Cancún, Mexico
Photo: Mylo Kaye · Pexels

What December is like in Cancún

Dry, warm and very busy, with the last fortnight the most crowded of the year.

peak

confidence: high

Traveller notes on Cancún in December

December is the forum's answer to the sargassum question: seaweed season runs roughly late February to September or October, and from November through February there is little to none — making December one of the cleanest-beach months of the year. Conditions sit around 27°C by day and 24 overnight, with the sea near 27°C too. Rain does show up in the averages, but regulars describe it as overnight or a brief afternoon shower rather than all-day, with the occasional run of two or three drizzly days. The one December-specific pattern: a cold front every ten to fourteen days drops temperatures a few degrees for a couple of days, enough to want long sleeves after dark.
Tripadvisor community · December · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Cancún

Regulars are consistent this month can turn sunny and hot for a stretch, then briefly cloudy and cool when a cold front passes through, before swinging back to sunny and hot again within a day or two. Our row backs that warm, still-showery read, 27.7C reading as a hot 30C, over 21.5C nights, with 30.1mm of rain across 7.4 days and humidity at 73 percent. Regulars are specific that tropical showers here tend to last only 5-10 minutes rather than settling in, and that packing a light sweater for cooler evenings is worth it even on an otherwise warm trip. The sea sits at a warm, swimmable 26.8C regardless of which version of the day arrives. The record: 9.8 hours of sun, a 20.4 kph wind and AQI 47.
ColdFrontsPassThenSunnyAgainQuickly · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Cancun-forum threads asking about August hurricane season are consistent the odds of an actual storm hitting are low through most of the month, ticking up only toward the very end as the wider season builds toward its September-October peak. A typical day is described as sunny, hot and humid, with forecasts often calling for rain that doesn't necessarily show up - and when it does arrive, it's usually overnight or a brief afternoon burst rather than an all-day washout. Posters call the ocean warm enough to feel almost bath-like, a genuine plus for anyone prioritizing swimming and snorkeling over cooler water. Regulars are consistent that most August trips proceed entirely normally, and recommend simply keeping half an eye on the tropical outlook rather than avoiding the month outright. The record: 31.8C days feeling like a punishing 37C, 25.2C nights, a 28.5C sea and 80 percent humidity.
HotelZoneAugustRegular · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Cancun-forum threads on September weather confirm it's sunny and hot with high humidity most days, a typical afternoon high around 32C that feels considerably warmer given the moisture in the air. September sits squarely in hurricane season and is one of the two busiest months for tropical activity, but posters are consistent that forecasts calling for rain and storms every day rarely match the actual experience - genuine all-day washouts are called rare, with rain more typically landing overnight or as a brief afternoon burst. Regulars recommend travel insurance covering storms as a sensible precaution, even though the odds of a direct hit on any specific week are described as slim. The clear upside: noticeably lower rates and thinner crowds than the winter high season. The record: 31.3C days feeling like a punishing 37C, 24.8C nights, 175mm across 23.3 days, 82 percent humidity, a 29.9C sea and 10.5 hours of sun.
ZonaHoteleraSeptemberRegular · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
April in Cancun is dry, hot and squarely inside the worst of the sargassum. Regulars put the peak at April through June, arriving daily and in quantity, varying by the day and by the stretch of beach; their mitigation is geography - it thins going north towards Costa Mujeres, the western shore of Isla Mujeres sees less, and many hotels rake their frontage each morning. Lent can also be very windy here, which our row's 20.9 kph reflects. The other April question is spring break: most American school breaks fall in the last two weeks of March, and the consensus is that Cancun is big enough to dilute them. The record: 29.5C days that feel like 33C, 23.7C nights, 5.7 precipitation days carrying 31.7mm and a 27.2C sea.
NorthToCostaMujeres · April · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Year-round notes are on Cancún's overview. Add your own note from Cancún's card on the map.

Cancún climate normals — December

Daytime high28°C / 82°F🥵 hot
Nighttime low21°C / 71°F
Feels like (high)30°C / 86°F
Sea temperature27°C / 81°F😎 warm sea
Rainfall63 mm / 2.5 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days12 days
Humidity75%💧 humid
Dew point21°C / 69°F
Sunshine9.3 h/day
Daylight10.9 h
Wind18 km/h / 11 mph
Air quality (US AQI)42🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Cancún in December

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

Peak crowdsthe editor's peak month, Dry season, Christmas and New Year peak

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Cancún's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Fair weatherCancún's weather doesn't swing hard through the year — comfort stays fairly steady in every month.

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What's on in Cancún in December

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Rule

    Visitor tax and park fees

    1 Jan – 31 Dec

    Quintana Roo charges every foreign visitor a state tourism fee, paid online before you fly out, and the marine parks off Isla Mujeres and Cozumel add their own per-day charge on the boat. Source ↗

  • Season

    The nortes

    1 Nov – 28 Feb · usuallyWind seasonRisk

    Cold fronts push down the Gulf every couple of weeks through the winter and bring two or three grey, blustery days with a chopped-up sea and the ferries to Isla running rough. Source ↗

  • Season

    Dry season

    15 Nov – 30 Apr · usuallyCrowded

    The trade winds settle, the water goes clear over the reef, and the beaches are free of weed. It is also when everything costs the most and the reef sites are busiest.

  • Holiday

    Christmas and New Year peak

    18 Dec – 5 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

    The most crowded and most expensive fortnight of the year, booked out months ahead. Restaurants run set menus and the transfer roads from the airport back up all afternoon. Source ↗

What's on around the world in December →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Cancún — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Cancún?

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Cancún in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Cancún?
December in Cancún: hot, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #5 of 12 months for Cancún on SeasonMap's comfort score (87/100).
What is the weather like in Cancún in December?
In December, Cancún averages a daily high of 27.6°C and a low of 21.4°C, with about 63.4 mm of rain over roughly 11.6 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Cancún in December?
Cancún has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 42 in December.

Within 300 km: Isla Mujeres' Fiestas de la Inmaculada on 30 Nov – 8 Dec, and Playa del Carmen's Dry season around 15 Nov – 30 Apr.