Cancun weather in October

In October, Cancun sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 190 mm of rain across 19.2 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% of the time in October, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 48 min at the start of October to 11 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Cancun's 10th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cancun's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
5th warmest
Overnight low
26°
8th coldest
Rainfall
190 mm
19.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
5:47 AM – 5:18 PM
Cloud cover
55%
10th clearest
Wind
21 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
4.61 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.2
out of 10

Cancun is municipal seat of Juárez, State of Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Founded
1970

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical October day in Cancun reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs on par with September and about 1°C warmer than November.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52826
62826
72826
82826
92826
102826
112826
122826
132826
142826
152826
162826
172826
182826
192826
202826
212826
222826
232726
242726
252726
262726
272726
282726
292726
302726
312726

How October really feels in Cancun

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 8 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
8
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in October is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Cancun weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 24°6710.710.97.0
Feb25° / 24°336.611.37.7
Mar26° / 24°25511.98.0
Apr26° / 25°264.912.57.8
May27° / 26°759.5136.8
Jun28° / 27°13315.413.35.5
Jul28° / 27°6511.113.25.8
Aug29° / 27°8814.612.75.3
Sep28° / 27°16220.312.14.4
Oct28° / 26°19019.211.55.2
Nov27° / 25°9011.8116.5
Dec26° / 24°6111.410.76.8

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 45%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34951
44951
55050
65149
75248
85347
95446
105446
115545
125545
135644
145644
155644
165743
175743
185743
195743
205842
215842
225842
235842
245842
255842
265941
275941
285941
296040
306040
316139

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Cancun gets around 190 mm of rain over 19.2 wet days in October, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 62% and peaks near 73% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
173
273
372
471
571
670
769
869
968
1067
1167
1266
1365
1464
1564
1663
1762
1861
1960
2059
2158
2257
2356
2455
2554
2653
2752
2851
2950
3049
3148

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of October feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, October lands in the miserable band about 45% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 95% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
10033067
20133165
30133264
40133363
50133462
60143560
70143659
80143758
90143857
100143956
110254053
120254152
130254251
140364348
150364446
160464544
170474643
180584741
190584739
200594738
2106104737
2206114735
2307124734
2417124733
2517134831
2618144830
2718144828
2819154927
2919164925
3019174924
31110175022

Wind in October

Winds average 21 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 23 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
520light breeze
620light breeze
720light breeze
820light breeze
920light breeze
1020light breeze
1120breezy
1220breezy
1320breezy
1420breezy
1521breezy
1621breezy
1721breezy
1821breezy
1921breezy
2021breezy
2122breezy
2222breezy
2322breezy
2422breezy
2522breezy
2622breezy
2723breezy
2823breezy
2923breezy
3023breezy
3123breezy

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min at the start of October to 11 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 36 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:42 AM to 5:54 AM, and sunset from 5:31 PM to 5:08 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.85:425:31
211.85:425:30
311.85:435:29
411.75:435:28
511.75:435:27
611.75:445:26
711.75:445:25
811.75:445:24
911.65:455:23
1011.65:455:22
1111.65:455:22
1211.65:465:21
1311.65:465:20
1411.55:475:19
1511.55:475:18
1611.55:475:18
1711.55:485:17
1811.55:485:16
1911.45:495:15
2011.45:495:15
2111.45:495:14
2211.45:505:13
2311.45:505:12
2411.45:515:12
2511.35:515:11
2611.35:525:11
2711.35:525:10
2811.35:535:09
2911.35:535:09
3011.25:545:08
3111.25:545:08

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 4.61 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.69 kWh/m² to a high of 6.58 kWh/m² in July across the year — October's 4.61 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.8Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
54.8Bright
64.8Bright
74.8Bright
84.8Bright
94.8Bright
104.7Bright
114.7Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.7Bright
154.6Bright
164.6Bright
174.6Bright
184.6Bright
194.6Bright
204.5Bright
214.5Bright
224.5Bright
234.5Bright
244.5Bright
254.4Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.3Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Cancun

In seasonPeak

In October, Cancun sits inside its atlantic hurricane and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Cancun sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Cancun's rainy season runs August–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

Atlantic hurricane
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is October a good time to visit Cancun?

Our two travel scores rate October for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

5.2
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Cancun for sightseeing.

What to pack for Cancun in October

From October's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In October, Cancun sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection and a windbreaker. About 19 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Cancun in October

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in October — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 24 km away) is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 26°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr27Warm
May28Warm
Jun28Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Cancun in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Cancun peaks around July 19 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 6 (high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highHighJul 19UV 12Dec 16UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan7High
Feb9Very high
Mar11Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov7High
Dec6High

Air quality in Cancun in October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where October falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Cancun is worst in June — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.1× the cleanest month (November, 6 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 2024 µg/m³Nov 226 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb7Good
Mar8Good
Apr12Good
May15Moderate
Jun25Moderate
Jul22Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Cancun?

Cancun sits at 21.2°N, 86.8°W, 11 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Isla Mujeres, 14 km away.

Chichen ItzaFelipe Carrillo Puerto

Topography around Cancun

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Cancun.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Cancun has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 16 m around an average of 8 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 30 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 31 m.

The land around Cancun is covered by artificial surfaces (87%) within 3 km, water (37%) and trees (32%) within 16 km, and water (53%) and trees (39%) within 80 km.

3 km
16 m
16 km
30 m
80 km
31 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
October weather nearby: Isla Mujeres 14 km · Playa del Carmen 65 km · Cozumel 76 km · Tulum 125 km · Tizimín 135 km · Valladolid 151 km · Chichen Itza 187 km · Felipe Carrillo Puerto 217 km

Mexico travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 / 127 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 54% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$13,889
2025
Happiness
7.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
43%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
24.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 440
Religion
Catholic 78%no religion 11%other Evangelical Churches 8%Jehovah Witness 1%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Cancun (21.1743°, -86.8466°, elevation 11 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).