Holbox weather in December

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

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Holbox🇲🇽 Mexico · Yucatán & Belize · Island89
  1. 88Jan
  2. 92Feb
  3. 94Mar
  4. 92Apr
  5. 88May
  6. 81Jun
  7. 86Jul
  8. 82Aug
  9. 80Sep
  10. 83Oct
  11. 89Nov
  12. 89Dec

#5 of 12 months in Holbox · #124 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 89/100 (tier A)

Days
28°C
Nights
23°C
Wet days
9
Sun
9.3 h
Humidity
76%
Daylight
11 h
Holbox, Mexico
Photo: Matias Mango · Pexels

Traveller notes on Holbox in December

Regulars are specific the seasonal Nortes, cold fronts sweeping down from North America, start arriving around November, historically every couple of weeks and lasting a few days though recent years have brought them less often and less cold. Our row backs that hot, genuinely dry read, 27.6C reading as a hot 30C, over 22.7C nights feeling 25C, with rain light at 45.8mm across 9.1 days and humidity at 76 percent. Regulars are consistent any rain tends to fall overnight or early morning, the rest of a typical day staying clear and sunny, one visitor's full ten days over Christmas week specifically reporting perfect weather throughout. The sea sits at a warm, swimmable 25.8C. The record: 9.3 hours of sun, a 14.2 kph wind and AQI 42.
NortesLessFrequentLessColdNowadays · December · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Holbox

Holbox-forum threads on July weather don't call it a bad month, just a hot and humid one - typical Mexican-summer conditions, with rain most likely as a brief afternoon or overnight burst rather than a day-ruining downpour. Posters are candid that muddy roads are a real side effect after a heavier shower, something to plan footwear around rather than avoid the month over. The one thing that makes July genuinely worth targeting despite the heat: whale sharks are reliably present this time of year, the main reason many visitors specifically choose a July trip over the drier winter months. Regulars also flag July as solid for the island's bioluminescent bay, since the warmer lagoon and darker nights around certain weeks make the glow easier to see, though August and September are called even stronger. The record: 32.6C days feeling like a punishing 38C, 26.3C nights, 81mm across 15.9 days, 76 percent humidity, a 27.4C sea and 11.7 hours of sun.
PuntaCoconutsJulyRegular · July · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Holbox-forum threads on November weather admit it's a mixed bag - a bit of drizzle, a few downpours, a fair bit of sun, all called pretty typical for the month and genuinely unpredictable trip to trip. What's consistent is the seasonal shift: precipitation drops sharply from October as the island moves firmly into dry season, most days running sunny and clear, with showers when they happen described as short but heavy rather than a persistent drizzle. Days sit in the high 20s Celsius with moderate, easing humidity that reads as fresh rather than heavy; evenings cool into the low 20s, and an occasional norte can make a night feel noticeably cooler, worth a light layer for. It's also a quiet month, right after hurricane season and before the winter price bump. The record: 28.3C days feeling like 31C, 23.6C nights, 66mm across 11.7 days, a 27.2C sea, 77 percent humidity and 9.7 hours of sun.
PuntaCoconutsNovember · November · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
April is the wrong month for the two things people come to Holbox for. Whale shark season runs from about 1 June to mid-September, so April is simply too early, and sargassum starts arriving in late February with April through June the worst of it. What regulars add is that the seaweed is local: the south end of the island is shielded from the current and sees virtually none, the north side gets it, and staying west of the town means less. Our row is the easy part of April - 30.2mm across 5.5 days, 11.4 hours of sun and a 25.8C sea. The record: 31.4C days that feel like 34C, 24.1C nights, humidity 70 percent and a 17.3 kph wind.
TooEarlyForWhaleSharks · April · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
February on Holbox is the quiet, comfortable end of the year - no bugs, and weather regulars simply call gorgeous - with two things to know. The north wind that blows from December to the end of February pushes sea life onto the shore, which is part of why the island looks the way it does in winter. And sargassum is usually only a trace this month: it starts arriving in earnest at the end of February, with April to June the worst of it, though how much lands depends on tide and wind and varies beach to beach, so Punta Mosquito can be clear while Punta Coco is not. The whale sharks are a June to early September proposition, so not now. The record: 28.1C days that feel like 30C, 22.3C nights, 6.6 precipitation days carrying 26.5mm, 9.7 hours of sun and a 25.3C sea.
TraceOfSeaweedOnly · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Holbox climate normals — December

Daytime high28°C / 82°F🥵 hot
Nighttime low23°C / 73°F
Feels like (high)30°C / 86°F
Sea temperature26°C / 78°F😎 warm sea
Rainfall46 mm / 1.8 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days9 days
Humidity76%💦 very humid
Dew point20°C / 68°F
Sunshine9.3 h/day
Daylight10.8 h
Wind14 km/h / 9 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 Holbox 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.

BusyChristmas and New Year, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Holbox'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 weatherHolbox's weather doesn't swing hard through the year — comfort stays fairly steady in every month.

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What's on in Holbox in December

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

  • Season

    Nortes season

    15 Nov – 28 Feb · usuallyWind seasonRisk

    Cold fronts drop down the Gulf every few weeks through winter and each brings a day or two of hard north wind. The kite schools plan their year around it; the ferry crossing gets rough and boat tours get cancelled.

  • Holiday

    Christmas and New Year

    20 Dec – 5 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

    The dearest fortnight of the year and the one the small hotels sell out of first, often with minimum stays. Mexican families and Europeans arrive in the same week. Source ↗

What's on around the world in December →

Nearby, and something's on

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

Where is Holbox?

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Holbox in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Holbox?
December in Holbox: hot, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #5 of 12 months for Holbox on SeasonMap's comfort score (89/100).
What is the weather like in Holbox in December?
In December, Holbox averages a daily high of 27.6°C and a low of 22.7°C, with about 45.8 mm of rain over roughly 9.1 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Holbox in December?
Holbox 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.