Cozumel in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Cozumel sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 158 mm of rain over about 30 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the 3rd-wettest season.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Cozumel's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. Cozumel has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Cozumel's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 158 mm
- 30 wet days
- Avg wind
- 22 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.1
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Cozumel in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.
A typical winter day in Cozumel reaches about 26°C and drops to 24°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Cozumel
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Cozumel weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25° / 24° | 64 | 11.6 | 10.9 | 6.9 |
| Feb | 26° / 24° | 28 | 6.8 | 11.3 | 7.6 |
| Mar | 26° / 24° | 26 | 5.7 | 11.9 | 7.8 |
| Apr | 27° / 25° | 29 | 5.8 | 12.5 | 7.6 |
| May | 28° / 26° | 85 | 11 | 13 | 6.5 |
| Jun | 28° / 27° | 168 | 17.5 | 13.2 | 5.0 |
| Jul | 29° / 27° | 82 | 14.2 | 13.1 | 5.3 |
| Aug | 29° / 27° | 107 | 16.6 | 12.7 | 5.0 |
| Sep | 29° / 27° | 180 | 21.5 | 12.1 | 4.2 |
| Oct | 28° / 26° | 214 | 19.8 | 11.5 | 5.0 |
| Nov | 27° / 25° | 103 | 12.5 | 11 | 6.4 |
| Dec | 26° / 24° | 66 | 11.9 | 10.8 | 6.7 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Cozumel gets around 158 mm of rain over 30 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 22 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 48 min in early December to 11 h 30 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Cozumel
None of Cozumel's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Cozumel sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Cozumel's rainy season runs June–June, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Cozumel?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is one of the better times to visit Cozumel for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Cozumel in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Cozumel sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 24°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear, sun protection and a windbreaker. About 30 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Cozumel in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 27°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 16 km away) is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 27°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 27 | Warm |
| May | 28 | Tropical |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 28 | Tropical |
| Dec | 27 | Warm |
UV index in Cozumel in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Cozumel peaks around April 18 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 7 (high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 7 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Very high |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 11 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 7 | Very high |
| Dec | 6 | High |
Air quality in Cozumel in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Cozumel is worst in June — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.3× the cleanest month (November, 6 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 7 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 24 | 19 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 7 | Good |
| Mar | 8 | Good |
| Apr | 11 | Good |
| May | 15 | Moderate |
| Jun | 26 | Moderate |
| Jul | 24 | Moderate |
| Aug | 19 | Moderate |
| Sep | 13 | Moderate |
| Oct | 9 | Good |
| Nov | 6 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Where is Cozumel?
Cozumel sits at 20.5°N, 86.9°W, 7 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Playa del Carmen, 20 km away.
Topography around Cozumel
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Cozumel.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Cozumel has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 22 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 35 m.
The land around Cozumel is covered by trees (37%), artificial surfaces (30%) and water (22%) within 3 km, water (57%) and trees (38%) within 16 km, and water (53%) and trees (42%) within 80 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
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 Cozumel (20.5004°, -86.9427°, elevation 7 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.