Cozumel In January

[KenJr]

We are thinking about a Cozumel trip January 20th of next year. I have been told this is the rainy season and the temps can be much cooler than a couple months later(March for example). If anyone has any opinions regarding the diving this time of year it would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[scubasherry]

We were there Jan 29th thru Feb 2nd... Hot in the 90's during the day. Was cool and breezy on some of the nights. Take a couple sweatshirts or a light jacket and make sure to pack a pair of pants.
It rained two times for about 1/2 hour each. It wasn't even rain really only a light sprinkle during the late morning/early afternoon and it felt rather refreshing.

I think rainy season is actually like late summer early fall.

Water temps for our dives were 79 to 81

 

[MMM]

Yes, January is cooler than March. I don't know so much about the rain but I've seen a fair number of Nortes in January which can also bring rain. On those days you will need warm jackets and pants; but a day or two later, it will be back into the warm, sunny weather we love. I did have one two week vacation in January a couple of years ago where the Nortes lasted almost the entire time. So I went back again in March to better weather. But any weather has to beat minus 30 and 60 kph winds.

We are thinking about a Cozumel trip January 20th of next year. I have been told this is the rainy season and the temps can be much cooler than a couple months later(March for example). If anyone has any opinions regarding the diving this time of year it would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[ggunn]

We are thinking about a Cozumel trip January 20th of next year. I have been told this is the rainy season and the temps can be much cooler than a couple months later(March for example). If anyone has any opinions regarding the diving this time of year it would be appreciated.
Thanks

I was there last January. We got there at the tail end of a norte, and I experienced the weird sensation of going to dinner on Cozumel in jeans and a flannel shirt. The next day it was much warmer, but I really appreciated having a windbreaker aboard for between and after the dives. The dives themselves were pretty much the same as always, which is to say very good to excellent, even though it was pretty soon after Wilma.

The water was a little cooler than we see in our regular May trips, averaging around 78 degrees and varying only a couple of degrees. It rained once for about 15 or 20 minutes during the six days we were there, IIRC. Other than during the nortes (another one came in the day we left), the onshore temps were warm enough for shorts even in the evening, though cooler than in May.

One caution: When the air is cooler, the sun can still burn you and you can't feel it when it's happening. My wife, who is normally very conscious of such things, hung out by the pool for a while in the cool air the morning of the day we left sans sunscreen, and she came home with an extensive and painful sunburn.

 

[loudives]

I go every 3rd Monday weekend in Jan. (Martin Luther King Day) and 9 out of 10 times there is a Norte at the start or end of that long weekend. The normal temps run about low 80's daytime and low 70's at night with very low humidity. When the norte comes it brings winds, drizzle, rain, clouds and temps as low as 60 during the day. Rain does not last long but drizzle may. The winds turn the water and the Harbor Master may close the big pool for small boats.
As long as the pool is open and no lightning boats still go out to the dive sites. Water temp is about 76-78 and during a Norte it feels really good to jump in.

Jan--Bring sweatshirt or a lined windbreaker, the windbreaker is better for drizzly days.
Nortes last 1-3 days and if you can't dive meet new friends and explore the many out of the way cantina's. Many small family owned places back off the tourist area have $1-$1.50 beer and they give you appetizers or samples of their dinners. I usually find either other divers or I get the divemasters and boat crews and go make a day of bar hopping. Great way to make friends as long as you stay sober.

You can get Nortes in Feb also MMM and I had dinner last Feb with other SBers on a chilly windy night.