Just how rainy is it in Cancun/Tulum/Zipolite right now?

September 19, 2014 12:43 PM

I'm thinking of a last minute vacation to Tulum or Zipolite, but the weather is showing as rainy every day for the next seven days. I'm wondering if this just means short showers each day, and it's otherwise sunny enough and a fine enough time to visit, or if I should look elsewhere for a vacation? I could potentially go to Mexico City / Oaxaca first for a week or so, and then the beach afterwards if that might help the weather situation. Thanks for any and all advice!
posted by User7 to Travel & Transportation around Mexico (4 answers total)

It's hot as hell there every day -- oppressive, miserable heat. Rain just means you can go outside and not feel like you want to die immediately. It usually just rains for a couple of hours in the afternoons, if it rains at all. It's not a cold rain there, it's actually pretty refreshing.

The real worry for that area at this time of year is hurricanes, not like normal 'rainy season' rains.
posted by empath at 1:29 PM on September 19, 2014

Seconding that this most likely means an hour or two of rain per day, if any rain at all. I was in that area last January and the forecast was for rain every day -- it rained a ton one day, and the rest of the days it was intermittent if at all. I wouldn't let it stop you.
posted by queens86 at 2:32 PM on September 19, 2014

look at the tropical weather section of wunderground or another site. if that rain for the next 7 days is caused by a tropical system, then don't go. seriously. not sure if there is anything major moving through or not. i thought there was something moving up the western coast post odile, but i might be wrong.

if it is just a rain shower here and there then you are fine.
posted by domino at 2:59 PM on September 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

I just got back from Playa del Carmen on Saturday; I was there for two weeks. This is the start of the rainy season for that part of the country, so you're going to have rain. I had maybe two days without rain and only two days that were completely rainy or very threatening. Most days had some sun, so you might get some beach time. Despite queens86's comment, January weather in Playa is much different than fall weather. Late winter and spring tend to be more of the stereotypical tropical rain, where you might get some rain for a bit in the afternoon, and that's it. The rain patterns and storms were much like summer storms in the Midwest, if you're familiar, so storms can move in pretty quickly.

If you're familiar with where you're going and can keep yourself entertained during storms, you should be fine. If you want a lot of beach time or sightseeing or other outdoor activities, you might want to wait until the weather is a bit more consistent.
posted by bonje at 5:28 PM on September 19, 2014