Puerto Vallarta Holiday Weather Overview
Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican beach resort which blends gorgeous sandy beaches with an authentic Mexican city, all backed by jungle covered mountains and slopes. A popular tourist destination, the city lies on the Pacific coast and is part of the Bay of Flags.
Puerto Vallarta's Climate
Puerto Vallarta experiences a tropical climate, with distinct wet and dry seasons. It's warm all year round, so you'll only ever need lightweight summer clothing, but bring sun block, sunglasses and a hat whenever you visit.
Peak Season in Puerto Vallarta
The busiest season is Puerto Vallarta is the dry season, which runs from November to May. There is next to no rainfall at this time, with the months of February, March and April being the driest of all - it's at this time of year that the skies are clearest.
Temperatures in February, March and April average around 30 degrees during the day, with an average low overnight of 16 degrees. Highs can easily reach the mid 30s, however, or even higher, so at times the heat can feel oppressive.
Because this is the height of the dry season and the most popular time to visit Puerto Vallarta, it's also the most expensive time of year. January to March is whale watching season in Puerto Vallarta, with the Bay of Banderas offering some of the best opportunities in the world to see humpback whales.
Festivities and Fishing
The start of the dry season in November and December is also a popular time to visit Puerto Vallarta. A well known marlin and sailfish fishing festival takes place in November, and there is also a large gourmet festival in the city at this time.
If you're visiting Puerto Vallarta in December, you can enjoy the many religious processions and festivities, including the Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
December temperatures in Puerto Vallarta vary between 30 and 36 degrees in the day time, and hover at around 18 degrees at night. You may catch a shower if you are unlucky, but this is a mostly dry time of year.
Summer Heat and Humidity
Between June and September, you can expect to get wet in Puerto Vallarta. During the rainy season, temperatures peak at the mid to high 30s celsius, but can creep above 40 degrees - uncomfortable for visitors. Nights don't bring much relief, with temperatures above 20 degrees but the rain can be refreshing. And there is a lot of rain - almost 13 inches in July, and almost 15 inches in September.
The good news is that the rain falls in short sharp bursts, so it's not constantly raining. Hotels are cheaper during the rainy season and there is still plenty going on in the city, so if you don't mind getting a little wet you can grab some great bargains at this time.
Hurricane Zone
Puerto Vallarta is normally sheltered from hurricanes by the Bay of Banderas, which drives the storms out to sea or further up the coast. However, travellers should note that hurricane season is from August to October.
Best months to visit Puerto Vallarta?
January and February are the best month to go for holiday or travel to Puerto Vallarta. The weather averages gathered from Puerto Vallarta weather forecast and Puerto Vallarta weather history also forecast these months temperature to be around 28°c and average of 315 hours of sunshine in a month.
Coldest months of Puerto Vallarta?
February and January are the coldest months with temperature at around 16°c.
Which months receive most rainfall in Puerto Vallarta?
August and September receive most rainfall with precipitation count of 337.52mm.
Travelling to Puerto Vallarta? Check out our Weather averages of Puerto Vallarta to better plan your holiday or travel.
If you would just like to know what the weather was for a past dates for research or education or you are just curious then visit our historical weather of Puerto Vallarta section.