How warm is the Riviera Maya in December?

Typical highs are about 81°F and the sea is about 82°F. That is warm enough for long swims without a wetsuit.

Is there sargassum in the Riviera Maya in December?

In a typical year seaweed is very high in December. It is usually lightest in January and February and heaviest in August and November. Landings vary a lot by year, wind and currents; Veabird's weekly sargassum report and each beach's page have the current forecast.

Is December hurricane season in the Riviera Maya?

No. Storm risk is very low in December.

How crowded is the Riviera Maya in December?

Typically very busy, around Christmas & holiday break. The quietest months are usually September and October.

The Riviera Maya in December

December is a good month for the Riviera Maya: a typical day grades C-, the 6th best of the 12 months. Expect highs near 81°F, water around 82°F and about a 46% chance of rain on a given day. Sargassum (seaweed) is usually very high in December. Beaches are typically very busy (Christmas & holiday break).

Typical dayC-6th of 12 months

Highs / water81°FSea 82°F

Rain chance46%on a given day

SeaweedVery hightypical year

CrowdsVery busyChristmas & holiday break

Storm riskVery lowoutside storm season

The Riviera Maya month by month

Typical grade and high for each month. Higher is better: A+ to F.

November: C- · December: C- · January: B-. The best months are usually January, February and March, and the weakest are August and September.

Best beaches in the Riviera Maya in December

Resorts with the best typical December, and their grades for the next few days.

Beach	Typical Dec	Seaweed	This week
Secrets Riviera Cancun Resort	B	Moderate	SatFSunDMonC-TueD+WedD
Marina El Cid Resort	B	Moderate	SatFSunD+MonCTueC-WedD
Now Jade Resort	B	Moderate	SatFSunD+MonCTueC-WedD
Iberostar Selection Riviera Cancún	B-	High	SatFSunD-MonD+TueDWedD-
Hotel El Dorado Royale	B-	High	SatFSunD+MonCTueC-WedD-
Desire Riviera Maya Resort & Spa	B-	High	SatFSunD-MonD+TueDWedD-
Palmar Beach Riviera Maya	B-	High	SatFSunD-MonD+TueDWedD-
Puerto Morelos Beach Resorts	B-	High	SatFSunD-MonC-TueD+WedD-

Grades for the next few days from Veabird's beach forecast, updated Oct 3, 18:00 UTC. Higher is better: A+ to F.

Better beach options in December

Elsewhere in Mexico, Huatulco (A), Puerto Vallarta (A) and Los Cabos (A) usually grade higher in December. Further afield: the Big Island (A-), Maui (A-) and Oʻahu (A-). Every destination in December.

Questions

Is December a good time to visit the Riviera Maya?: December is a good month for the Riviera Maya: a typical day grades C-, the 6th best of the 12 months. Expect highs near 81°F, water around 82°F and about a 46% chance of rain on a given day. Sargassum (seaweed) is usually very high in December. Beaches are typically very busy (Christmas & holiday break).
How warm is the Riviera Maya in December?: Typical highs are about 81°F and the sea is about 82°F. That is warm enough for long swims without a wetsuit.
Is there sargassum in the Riviera Maya in December?: In a typical year seaweed is very high in December. It is usually lightest in January and February and heaviest in August and November. Landings vary a lot by year, wind and currents; Veabird's weekly sargassum report and each beach's page have the current forecast.
Is December hurricane season in the Riviera Maya?: No. Storm risk is very low in December.
How crowded is the Riviera Maya in December?: Typically very busy, around Christmas & holiday break. The quietest months are usually September and October.

Plan it

Riviera Maya: this week's forecast, beach by beach
Mexico Beach Report: this week, updated every Monday
Compare dates and beaches on the map

Typical-month numbers from Veabird's year-ahead outlook for the 89 resorts here (median resort): 6 years of ERA5 climate normals, the seasonal pattern of the Atlantic sargassum belt, holiday crowd calendars and historical storm tracks. Any given year can differ; check the 16-day forecast before you go.