Holbox weather by month
Averages from Mexico’s national weather service (SMN) for Holbox (2010 to 2017) and sea temperature over the last 10 years. They are averages: any year can differ.
| Month | High / low | Rain | Sea | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29 / 20 °C | 47 mm | 25 °C | Dry; northerlies arrive |
| February | 30 / 20 °C | 50 mm | 25 °C | Dry and mild |
| March | 31 / 21 °C | 28 mm | 26 °C | The driest month |
| April | 32 / 21 °C | 32 mm | 27 °C | Dry and hot |
| May | 32 / 22 °C | 59 mm | 28 °C | Whale shark season opens |
| June | 32 / 22 °C | 108 mm | 28 °C | Rains; hurricane season starts |
| July | 32 / 23 °C | 98 mm | 29 °C | Whale shark and bioluminescence peak |
| August | 32 / 23 °C | 86 mm | 29 °C | Whale shark peak; warmest sea |
| September | 32 / 23 °C | 119 mm | 29 °C | The rainiest month; whale shark season closes |
| October | 31 / 22 °C | 107 mm | 29 °C | Rains and hurricane risk |
| November | 31 / 22 °C | 76 mm | 27 °C | The dry season returns |
| December | 30 / 21 °C | 69 mm | 25 °C | Northerlies; Christmas and New Year are packed |
Nature seasons
What you find in the sea and the sky changes through the year. Dates are approximate.
| What | Approx. months |
|---|---|
| Whale sharks | Mid-May to mid-September; peak in July and August |
| Bioluminescence | Strongest June to August, on moonless nights |
| Flamingos | Mostly March to October |
| Kitesurfing | October to April, with the northerlies |
| Lobster | Catch from July to February; closed 1 March to 30 June |
Northerlies, hurricanes and sargassum
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, with the highest risk from late August to October. From November to February the nortes arrive: wind and choppy sea that sometimes close the ferry and cancel tours.
Holbox beaches face north and west, and the island gets very little of the sargassum that reaches other Mexican Caribbean beaches. In summer there can be some light sargassum and seagrass.
High and low season
The island is small, so you notice high season.
- Busiest: Christmas and New Year, Easter week (21 to 28 March in 2027) and July and August.
- Quieter, with better hotel prices: May, September and October.
- June: whale sharks are already there and it is not yet peak season.
- In the rainy months it usually rains in the afternoon, in short storms.
Prices and times are approximate and change with the season and weather. Check them before you travel.
