High season in Playa falls between November and April and it is during this time that travel costs will be highest. The most popular and expensive dates fall around Chrristmas, New Years, Easter Weekend, and Spring Break. If you can plan your travel around these dates, you can save a significant amount of money on your trip.

Playa Del Carmen has a subtropical climate, so its weather ranges from warm to hot for most of the year. The average temperature over the year is about 80ºF or 27ºC and the humidity is usually very high. The sea is almost always warm enough for a swim, but you must pay attention to warnings for the safety of the water, especially during storm season. Always note the color of the flags on the beach. Red flags indicate high levels of bacteria and you should avoid the water when these conditions are present (or risk becoming very sick).

The coolest time of year falls between November and January. During these months the daytime temperatures are very comfortable and warm, but the air tends to cool off at night. There is some rain, but not constant or overwhelming.

From February to May the weather is at its most pleasant. The sea is calm for swimming and there is very little rain. Flowers come out to bloom and tourists arrive in droves.

From June to August the weather becomes very hot. The sea is calm and the air warm even through the night. The sun can be very powerful at this time of year so wearing a hat to shield from its rays may be a good idea. There may be storms from time to time at this time of year, but usually the afternoon thunderstorms don’t last. There are sometimes torrential downpours late at night which come and go very quickly.

Hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin (which accounts for hurricanes on the Caribbean shore of Mexico) starts June 1 and ends November 30. Maximum activity is between August and October, with the peak activity generally being in early to mid September (as determined by the U.S. National Hurricane Center). A hurricane or tropical storm can occur anytime in this period--Emily occurred in July 2005 and Wilma in October 2005. The 2005 hurricane season was the worst in 154 years. However, it was an anomaly and is not expected to be repeated soon. The vast majority of hurricanes do not make landfall. The majority of those that do reach land strike the coast north of Playa del Carmen but in any case, travelers visiting Playa at this time of year should keep a close watch on the storm warnings and consider travel insurance just to be safe.

Tropical storms can occur during the same time period. Tropical storms are substantially smaller and less intense than hurricanes. They usually do not cause much damage but simply bring wind and heavy rains over the span of a few days. Regular rain storms during the same period (Playa's "rainy season") are usually of short duration. They may cool things off for a few hours, but soon the temperatures rise and the sun comes out again.