Weather in Mexico

The weather in Mexico is as varied as the terrain itself: tropical coastlines, barren deserts, frosty peaks, and lush valleys. Altitude is the reason. In much of the country, the altitude you live at has a greater impact on the climate than the time of year. Mexico’s climate is often called tropical, and most of the country is sunny for much of the year. That label is too simple though, because the arid north and the high central plateau have climates that are vastly different from the steamy coasts.

Mexico’s Pacific (west) coast has a moderate, fairly dry climate. Winters average a comfortable 66°F (19°C) and summers around 77°F (25°C), although these are broad figures across a long, varied shoreline. The further north you go, the hotter the summers get.

Unlike the mild Pacific coast, the Sonoran Desert is noticeably wetter. Most of its rain falls from July to September. Winters are around 53°F (12°C), and summer temperatures are often above 104°F (40°C); near the lower Colorado River, they can be over 120°F (49°C).

The Chihuahuan Desert to the east is higher up, so its summers are a little milder than the Sonoran’s. Winters are around 50°F (10°C). Summer days are still hot, often above 95°F (35°C). Nights are far cooler, though, thanks to the high elevation. The rains come in July and August, when thunderstorms break the long dry spell.

Around Mexico City and other high ground, the difference between day and night temperatures in the Tierras Frías (cold lands) is dramatic. Winters are often as low as 45°F (7°C), and summers are around a mild 77°F (25°C). The capital itself is about 7,350 ft (2,240m) up, so if you are moving from sea level, give yourself a week or two to adjust to the thinner air. These cold lands are not unique to Mexico City; you will also find them on high ground in states such as Puebla, Oaxaca, the Toluca valley, and the Sierra Madre.

The middle elevation band that is called the Tierras Templadas (temperate lands) is home to many of Mexico’s colonial cities, among them Guadalajara, Querétaro, Oaxaca City, and San Miguel de Allende. Temperatures range from about 60°F (16°C) in winter to 75°F (24°C) in summer. The mild, dry air is a big part of why so many foreign residents put down roots here.

The Tierras Calientes (hot lands) are mainly along the coastal plains. They are hot all year and humid through the rainy season, from May or June to October or November. Temperatures average between 90°F (32°C) and 95°F (35°C) year round. For many newcomers, the humidity is harder to get used to than the heat itself; on the stickiest days, the air feels far hotter than the thermometer reads.

Rain in Mexico falls mostly between June and November; the rest of the year is relatively dry. The flip side is a long, settled dry season from about November to April. Many residents rate it the country’s most comfortable stretch, and it is exactly when winter visitors flock to the coast. Hurricane season is part of the same wet stretch. On both coasts, it lasts from June to November. Pacific storms are at their worst in late August, and those in the Atlantic and Caribbean around mid-September.