Cancun's ideal weather makes it Canada’s favourite tropical escape
Tens of thousands of Canadians travel to Cancun every year to enjoy the region’s reliably tropical climate
Pristine beaches, luxurious resorts, and vibrant nightlife make Cancun one of the world’s top vacation destinations.
Tens of millions of people visit the Mexican city every year to soak up rays and relaxation at this oasis carved out of the jungle.
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Situated on the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea and proximity to Chichen Itza and Tulum made this an ideal spot to host tourists looking for a tropical getaway.
Jungle covered the entire region just a few decades ago.
Cancun was purpose-built by the Mexican government in the late 1960s in order to boost the country’s economy with a heavy dose of tourism. The gamble turned into a monumental success that brings in billions of dollars every year.
The city’s population practically exploded overnight. As of 2020, the nation’s government reported about 934,000 residents in and around Cancun, an increase of nearly 40 per cent in just ten years.
A top destination for Canadian travellers
Cancun is by far the most popular non-U.S. international destination from Canadian airports.
As of Feb. 2026, airlines offered non-stop service to Cancun from 22 airports from coast to coast. Many of the flights run on seasonal schedules to accommodate mid-winter travellers.
Together, these flights ferry thousands of people every day. Toronto-Pearson Airport alone hosts around 100 Cancun-bound flights per week during the frigid winter months.
It’s not hard to see what tens of thousands of Canadians love about the destination.
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Ideal weather for much of the year
Cancun sits squarely within the tropics. The region’s average temperatures only rise and fall a few degrees between the seasons.
While winters are pleasantly warm, the occasional cold front can sink across the Gulf of Mexico and reach the Yucatan Peninsula. Cancun’s coldest temperature on record was 9.5°C set on Mar. 12, 1996.
Summertime heat and humidity may feel uncomfortable for folks not acclimated to tropical climates. A normal daytime high temperature during the middle of summer hovers in the middle-30s with a humidex value approaching 40.
Seasons are better measured in rainfall than temperatures in this part of the world. Cancun’s rainy season begins in the late-spring and continues through the middle of autumn, with at least some rain measured most days of the month between May and October.
Hurricanes are a major summer hazard
A significant portion of Cancun’s annual rainfall can arrive in tropical storms and hurricanes.
Records show that 74 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 100 km of Cancun since records began in 1850.
Communities on the Yucatan Peninsula suffered significant damage from Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, the latter of which sent a storm surge as high as 6 metres into the coast around Cancun.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs between June 1 and November 30, with the greatest threat to the Cancun area usually falling between August and October.
Header image created using graphics and imagery from Canva.