The best time of the year to visit Cancun
When is the best time to visit Cancun?
If you are looking for the best time of the year to visit Cancun when there are not a lot of people and you can save the most amount of money on your vacation then travel to Cancun during the hurricane season.
The official hurricane season in Cancun starts in June and continues through November. The time of year with the most amount of rain and high winds is more likely a threat in Cancun beginning in September.
Most hotels and vacation rentals discount the rooms to their lowest rate during September and October because of the risk of bad weather.
You can expect deeper discounts, as much as 40% off your vacation rental price when you travel this late in the season. Furthermore, with the cost of travel insurace factored in, big discounts still remain available. Plus when you take your vacation now, you can expect a much less croweded beach and swim up bar.
The average rainfall spikes up in June, drops down in July and August and then again back up in September and October to more than 8 inches of rain during those two months.
Does Cancun usually get hurricanes?
Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma was the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin and hit Cancun in October of 2005. The hurricane sat over the island for 4 days, with the highest wind speed of 183 miles per hour and was about two and a half miles wide with the smallest know eye of a hurricane in the Atlantic. Wilma was recorded as a category 5 Hurricane.
Hurricane Delta
October 7, 2020, Hurricane Delta made landfall on Cancun. Hurricane Delta lost its force before it hit land. Delta had already weakened to a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 110 miles per hour by the time it hit land.
Hurricane Zeta
Then again on October 26, 2020, Cancun was hit by its second hurricane of the year, Hurricane Zeta. Zeta was the 27th named storm in the Atlantic season. When Zeta pounded Cancun with high winds and heavy rain it still was not nearly as intense as Delta.
2021 Hurricane Predictions
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hurricane outlook predicts that in 2021 there will be a 60% chance that 2021 will be above normal Hurricane Season. The NOAA Climate Prediction Center has recently changed their definition of the “average hurricane season” to have 14 named storms and seven hurricanes, three of them being major category 3 or larger hurricanes.
This year Meteorologist forecasted between 13 and 20 tropical systems in the Atlantic region, possibly 6–10 hurricanes and between 3-5 of them being major hurricanes. This is a direct link to the increase in sea surface temperatures. Currently the surface temperature in the Atlantic Ocean is at about .38 above normal and last year the temperatures were at .56 degrees Celsius above normal.
You can see the most current graphic of the Tropical Weather Outlook at the National Hurrican Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center website.
2021 Hurricane Season
Already Cancun has experienced Tropical Storm Fred and Tropical Storm Grace which turned into a Hurricane and made landfall as the first hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season on August 19, 2021.
The Florida based U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm hit just south of Tulum with over 130 kilometer per hour winds and a dangerous surge of water up to two meters above the normal tide level.
Stay informed
Direct impacts to the Cancun area are best forecasted about one week prior to the event.
The smartest most logical decision to make when purchasing a vacation during the hurricane season is to purchase travel insurance. This will make sure you are covered if a storm does occur and you will need to reschedule or cancel your vacation, you will still receive your money back.
Travel Insurance
Traveling during the hurricane season saves money. Purchasing travel insurance for your vacation keeps money if you must cancel or postpone your vacation.
Most people skip out on purchasing travel insurance hoping that they will never really need it. But, hurricane season is the one time of the year when investing in this protection is essential. Purchasing coverage will ensure that you are reimbursed for your travel costs should a storm develop.
Click here to read more about protection options for an upcoming trip and get a rate quote. Check out our article about the best travel insurance to purchase for Cancun.
