Cozumel Mexico’s “Norte” Weather Patterns

That Little Weather Problem in Cozumel: The Real Deal on “Nortes” and Your Dive Trip

You’ve pictured this. You’re in Cozumel, the sun is just coming up, you’ve got your coffee in hand, and you’re staring at that perfect, turquoise water, just waiting for the dive boat.

Then you get the text from the dive shop: “Port’s closed.”

Wait, what? You look outside. It’s a little breezy, maybe, but the sky is blue. Closed? You flew all this way, you pre-paid your dives, and you can’t go. What gives?

Welcome to Cozumel’s little winter secret. It’s called a “Norte” (pronounced nor-tay), and it’s the one word that can make or break your dive plans between November and February.

I’ve seen it dozens of times. Tourists at the breakfast buffet, totally baffled. “They said it’s wind from Canada? I thought I was in Mexico!”

It’s a common story. But if you understand what a norte actually is, why it shuts things down, and (most importantly) how to have a killer Plan B, it goes from a vacation-wrecker to just… a forced surface interval.

So let’s get into it.

So, What Exactly Is This “Norte”?

You’ve probably heard of it. It’s Spanish for “north.” Simple.

A norte is just a cold front. A big one.

All winter long, these massive cold air masses build up over Canada and the northern U.S. Think of the atmosphere like a big, wobbly Jell-O mold. Every so often, a huge chunk of that cold, heavy air breaks off and tumbles south, pushed by high-pressure systems.

It blasts across the U.S., hits the Gulf of Mexico, and starts picking up moisture and serious speed. By the time this ‘front’ hits the Yucatan Peninsula, it’s a full-blown wind event.

And when a norte blows in, you feel it. The temperature might drop 10 or 15 degrees in an hour. The sky can get this steel-gray look, and the wind just howls.

Now, let’s be clear. It’s easy to chuckle and blame our friends in Canada, but the cold isn’t the problem. In fact, that drop from 85°F to a crisp 70°F (21°C) can feel amazing.

No, the problem isn’t the cold. It’s the wind. And in Cozumel, wind is everything.

Cozumel’s Climate: A (Mostly) Perfect Picture

Before we get too dark, let’s get the obvious out of the way: Cozumel is a tropical paradise. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the weather is exactly what you paid for.

The island enjoys this warm, humid climate all year, with an average temperature hovering right around a lovely 77°F (25°C). It’s why we go, right?

Sure, there’s a rainy season (roughly May to November) and that official hurricane season (June to November), which can bring big storms. But that’s a different beast entirely.

Most people, especially those of us trying to escape snow and ice, book our trips during the “peak season” from December to April. This is when Cozumel is supposed to be perfect. Dry, sunny, and warm.

And it usually is. Until a norte decides to show up.

The Real Problem: Why the Port Captain Becomes Your Worst Enemy

Here’s the part that trips everyone up. The norte itself doesn’t close the port. The wind does. And more specifically, the direction of the wind.

Cozumel’s geography is key here. All the famous reefs—Palancar, Columbia, Santa Rosa—are on the island’s west side. This is also where the town, the marinas, and the hotels are. This side is normally protected from the prevailing easterly winds, which is why the water is usually so flat and calm.

But a norte? It comes from the north, northwest, or west.

It blows directly onto that protected side, turning the calm boat channel into a washing machine.

This is where the Port Captain (Capitanía de Puerto) steps in. And trust me, you don’t want to mess with this guy. His job is safety, period.

Think about those Cozumel dive boats. They’re not giant cruise ships. Many have those low-to-the-water platforms at the back. They’re perfect for a giant stride on a calm day. They are not perfect when 3-foot waves are slamming into the back of the boat, swamping the deck, and making it a nightmare to climb back up the ladder.

It’s just not safe. So the Port Captain makes the call.

Here’s the technical bit: You can be your own weather forecaster. The dive ops all use sites like Wind Guru. If you see the forecast showing winds climbing to 10 knots or higher, and the arrows are pointing from the W, NW, or N, there’s a very good chance the port will be closed to “embarcaciones menores” (small boats).

That means divers, snorkelers, fishing charters, and glass-bottom boats are all grounded.

The big car and passenger ferries that run to Playa del Carmen? They play by different rules. They have their own safety margins and decide based on whether they can dock safely. So don’t be confused if you see the ferry running while your dive boat is tied to the dock.

How a Norte Messes With the Dive Day (Even If You Go)

Okay, so let’s say the wind isn’t quite bad enough to close the port, but it’s still blowing. What’s the dive like?

Well… it’s sporty.

Two things happen:

1. Currents Get Wild: Cozumel is famous for its drift diving, which is usually like a lazy river. A norte can turn that lazy river into a whitewater rapid. The currents get stronger and can be unpredictable. This is not the time for your checkout dive or if you’re a bit rusty. If you’re an experienced diver who loves a challenge? You might actually find it thrilling. But you need to be on your game.

2. Visibility Can Drop: All that wind and wave action churns up the water, especially in the shallower spots. It can kick up sand, and that crystal-clear 100-foot visibility can drop to 40 or 50 feet. It’s not always the case, but it’s common.

The good news? Nortes blow through fast. They rarely stick around for more than a day or two. And—this is the best part—the diving after a norte passes is often the best you will ever see. The wind flips back to its normal pattern, the water flattens out like glass, and it feels like the whole system has been “flushed,” leaving behind stunningly clear water.