Puerto Vallarta Weather, all you need to know

Puerto Vallarta and Hawaii on a map

Puerto Vallarta is located on the same latitude as the Hawaiian islands (20ºN), that’s why the city’s weather and climate are often compared to Hawaii’s own (PV city info).

Puerto Vallarta (as well as Nuevo Vallarta) is surrounded by jungle and receives considerable rain during the wet summer months.

Vallarta’s climate has very distinct dry and wet seasons during the year. In general, the Summer months have a much higher chance of rain than the Winter months, which are mostly dry.

Do note that during the rainy season (June to mid-October) you’ll see forecasts showing clouds, rain and lightning, but this is normally something that occurs only in the late afternoon and night. Sometimes there are storms in the area and that can mean cloudy skies that stay all day long.

So whenever you are in doubt, take advantage of the webcams in Puerto Vallarta and check the weather in real-time.

• Tropical wet and dry (Köppen Climate classification)
• Rainy Wet Season: June to September, most rain in September. It rains intermittently during the partly cloudy day, around an hour in total, at most.
• December, January, and February (high dry season) are hot and sunny.
• Spring and Autumn offer moderate temperatures.
• The average high is 85ºF (29.4ºC) and the low at 69ºF (20.5ºC).
• Hurricanes seldom strike Puerto Vallarta, the last significant events were Kenna (2002) and Lily (1971) before that one.

While rain can spoil a day at the beach, tropical storms can be quite beautiful and amazing, when rain seems to march across the hills and lightning illuminates the humid sky while the thick clouds advance inland from the Bay.

Runoff from the rains in the jungle and hills can turn the seawater brown in some areas, mainly around rivers and streams, detracting somewhat from the beauty of the beaches and the bay. The highest temperatures reach 90ºF (32ºC) during the summer, and the humidity can add to the perception of heat.

During the winter, the local weather changes significantly, and temperatures move into the low to mid-80sºF (28 – 30ºC), quite comfortable for a stroll on the beach and around town. Nighttime temperatures in Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta range from the 60s to the mid-70s (19-24ºC).

See PV now, use the webcam

The seasons in Puerto Vallarta are always from warm to hot and there is a distinct rainy season (June to mid-October) and a dry season (last half of October to May).

• Winter (December 22 – March 21)
• Spring (March 22 – June 21)
• Summer (June 22- September 21)
• Autumn (September 22 – December 21)

IMPORTANT:

Many think that the rainy days in Puerto Vallarta’s wet season means it rains all day and every day, that’s not the case.

During the wet season, it may rain a bit in the morning, a bit during the day and then most of it during the night. It’s intermittent and for short runs, it doesn’t get in the way of touring and enjoying the area.

It is actually a blessing as temperatures actually go down during what is the warmest period of the year.

January is among the coolest months of the year, but it is still quite mild and warm for anybody living in higher latitudes. You can expect the conditions to include warm sunny days and pleasant evenings.

The average temperature in the afternoon is above 20 degrees Celsius, and the sky is clear most of the time, especially when you are closer to the end of the month.

During the day, the weather is temperate and you can easily wear light clothes. Warmer clothes at night during this, the local winter, this could be a light sweater, a cotton jacket or a long-sleeve shirt, but if you are from a cold climate, you’ll be fine in short sleeves.

Temperatures start to go down before sunset, around 6 PM or 7 PM, with the low temperature in the early morning and then start to rise again when the sun comes up.

On average, there are about 2 rainy days in January. The lower ocean temperature in Puerto Vallarta attracts humpback whales, their newborns and whale sharks, but the water is still quite suitable for swimming and surfing.