Mexico Pacific
Best Time to Dive in Cabo San Lucas
22.85°N 109.90°W
Aim for November to March for the calmest water — seas top 1.5 m on 16% of days, against 42% the rest of the year. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month. Diving holds up from November to July.
- Best time
- Nov–Mar
- Water
- 22–29 °C
- Visibility
- 5–30 m
- Season runs
- Nov–Jul
- Dived from
- day boat
- Tidal range
- 0.8–1.7 m
- Species logged
- 10
Worth knowing: 31% of days see seas over 1.5 m.
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Cabo San Lucas — monthly breakdown
A year of scuba diving conditions at a glance. Hover a month to isolate it.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Poor | Moderate | Excellent | Excellent |
| Water temp (°C) | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 26 |
| Visibility (m) | 15–25 | 10–20 | 10–20 | 10–20 | 10–20 | 5–15 | 10–20 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 15–25 |
| Marine life | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak |
| Best time | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Nov–Mar
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Cabo San Lucas diving season
August to October · Shoulder season
3 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 29–29 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 6 days a month
Diving conditionsIt rains more. The wind eases.
Marine lifeCalifornia sea lion (near-guaranteed) peaks at Cabo San Lucas in these months.
November to July · Peak season
9 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 22–28 °C
- Visibility
- 10–20 m
- Rain
- 1 days a month
Diving conditionsIt rains less. The wind is up.
Marine lifeCalifornia sea lion (near-guaranteed), Munk's mobula (likely) peak at Cabo San Lucas in these months.
- Spring tides run 1.7 m against 0.8 m on neaps, so currents build around the full and new moon.
- Water temperature is satellite sea-surface temperature, so expect it cooler below the thermocline.
- Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
Cabo San Lucas water temperature and weather
9,784 underwater observation records · 29 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Cabo San Lucas water temperature by month
The dashed line is the monthly average. Eight days in ten fall inside the band.
10th to 90th percentile rangemonthly mean
9
rough days a month
Seas top 1.5 m on 31% of days. Enough to cancel a day boat
0
blowy days a month
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
2
wet days a month
0 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.7 m | 0% | 1 | 0 | 26 °C | 10.7 h |
| February | 1.6 m | 0% | 1 | 0 | 26 °C | 11.2 h |
| March | 1.7 m | 1% | 0 | 0 | 28 °C | 11.8 h |
| April | 1.7 m | 1% | 0 | 0 | 29 °C | 12.5 h |
| May | 1.8 m | 0% | 0 | 0 | 30 °C | 13.1 h |
| June | 2.0 m | 0% | 1 | 1 | 31 °C | 13.4 h |
| July | 1.8 m | 0% | 2 | 0 | 33 °C | 13.3 h |
| August | 2.0 m | 2% | 7 | 1 | 33 °C | 12.8 h |
| September | 2.3 m | 2% | 8 | 2 | 32 °C | 12.1 h |
| October | 2.1 m | 1% | 3 | 1 | 32 °C | 11.5 h |
| November | 1.5 m | 0% | 1 | 0 | 29 °C | 10.9 h |
| December | 1.5 m | 0% | 1 | 0 | 27 °C | 10.6 h |
Swell is the rough end of the month: nine days in ten come in under it. Sea temperature covers 10 years, waves 4.
Pick your week
48 weeks from the daily record. Darker is better, against this site's own year. Pick a month for the detail.
| Week 1 | January week 1: Excellent | February week 1: Excellent | March week 1: Excellent | April week 1: Excellent | May week 1: Good | June week 1: Good | July week 1: Good | August week 1: Moderate | September week 1: Poor | October week 1: Moderate | November week 1: Excellent | December week 1: Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Excellent | February week 2: Excellent | March week 2: Excellent | April week 2: Excellent | May week 2: Good | June week 2: Good | July week 2: Good | August week 2: Moderate | September week 2: Poor | October week 2: Moderate | November week 2: Excellent | December week 2: Excellent |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Excellent | February week 3: Excellent | March week 3: Excellent | April week 3: Excellent | May week 3: Good | June week 3: Good | July week 3: Good | August week 3: Moderate | September week 3: Poor | October week 3: Moderate | November week 3: Excellent | December week 3: Excellent |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Excellent | February week 4: Excellent | March week 4: Excellent | April week 4: Excellent | May week 4: Good | June week 4: Moderate | July week 4: Good | August week 4: Moderate | September week 4: Poor | October week 4: Good | November week 4: Excellent | December week 4: Excellent |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: third of December
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 24 °C | 2.0 m | 17 km/h | 3% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 23 °C | 1.9 m | 16 km/h | 2% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 23 °C | 1.7 m | 17 km/h | 2% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 23 °C | 1.5 m | 18 km/h | 3% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.5 m | 18 km/h | 3% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.6 m | 18 km/h | 2% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.7 m | 19 km/h | 1% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.6 m | 18 km/h | 1% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.6 m | 19 km/h | 0% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.6 m | 21 km/h | 0% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.6 m | 22 km/h | 0% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.7 m | 22 km/h | 0% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.7 m | 24 km/h | 1% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.7 m | 24 km/h | 1% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.7 m | 23 km/h | 0% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 22 °C | 1.7 m | 25 km/h | 0% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 23 °C | 1.8 m | 26 km/h | 0% |
| Week 2 | Good | 23 °C | 1.8 m | 26 km/h | 1% |
| Week 3 | Good | 23 °C | 1.8 m | 25 km/h | 1% |
| Week 4 | Good | 23 °C | 1.9 m | 26 km/h | 1% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 24 °C | 1.9 m | 27 km/h | 1% |
| Week 2 | Good | 24 °C | 1.9 m | 26 km/h | 3% |
| Week 3 | Good | 24 °C | 1.9 m | 27 km/h | 4% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 25 °C | 2.1 m | 25 km/h | 6% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 26 °C | 2.1 m | 24 km/h | 7% |
| Week 2 | Good | 27 °C | 1.8 m | 24 km/h | 6% |
| Week 3 | Good | 27 °C | 1.7 m | 24 km/h | 6% |
| Week 4 | Good | 28 °C | 1.8 m | 23 km/h | 8% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 28 °C | 2.1 m | 23 km/h | 15% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 22 km/h | 23% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 20 km/h | 24% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 20 km/h | 26% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.8 m | 20 km/h | 33% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.7 m | 20 km/h | 31% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 20 km/h | 25% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 20 km/h | 19% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 29 °C | 2.1 m | 20 km/h | 14% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 29 °C | 2.2 m | 21 km/h | 15% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 29 °C | 2.1 m | 21 km/h | 8% |
| Week 4 | Good | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 19 km/h | 2% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.5 m | 19 km/h | 1% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.6 m | 17 km/h | 2% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.5 m | 16 km/h | 3% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.4 m | 16 km/h | 6% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.4 m | 15 km/h | 8% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.4 m | 15 km/h | 4% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.4 m | 15 km/h | 2% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 25 °C | 2.1 m | 16 km/h | 2% |
10 years of daily records, averaged into weeks.
Gear & storms
What to wear
Off the coldest water of each month, not the average — that is what the suit has to cope with.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suit | January: 5 mm | February: 5 mm + | March: 5 mm | April: 5 mm | May: 5 mm | June: 5 mm | July: 3 mm | August: skin | September: skin | October: skin | November: 3 mm | December: 5 mm |
- Dec–Jan5 mm full suit
- Feb5 mm with hood and gloves
- Mar–Jun5 mm full suit
- Jul3 mm full suit
- Aug–Octskin or 3 mm shorty
- Nov3 mm full suit
Swell through the year
The rough end of each month — nine days in ten come in under it.
Amber is over 1.5 m.
Tides
Tropical storms
21 of the last 30 Septembers saw a tropical storm pass within 250 km. Anything has been recorded Jun–Nov.
Share of the last 30 years with a storm that month.
- NOAASea surface temperature, from OISST and MUR
- ERA5Wind, waves, rain and air temperature, via Open-Meteo
- OBISMarine species records within 60 km
- IBTrACSTropical cyclone tracks, 1996 to 2025
Cabo San Lucas marine life — what you'll see diving
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humpback whale | Jan–Mar | Near-guaranteed | 8942 | ||
| California sea lion | All year | Near-guaranteed | 204 | ||
| Grey whale | Feb | Likely | 339 | ||
| Bottlenose dolphin | Dec–Feb, Apr | Hit-or-miss | 69 | ||
| Orca | Dec–Jan, Mar | Hit-or-miss | 102 | ||
| Munk's mobula | May, Jul | Likely | 21 | ||
| Spinner dolphin | Sep–Oct | Hit-or-miss | 9 | ||
| Common dolphin | Apr–May, Oct | Likely | 21 | ||
| Blue whale | Mar, Sep | Hit-or-miss | 12 | ||
| Bigeye trevally | May–Jun, Sep | Hit-or-miss | 8 |
Peak Present
- Observed window
- Months with records. Peak is where most of them fall.
- Reliability
- Near-guaranteed in 60% of surveyed years or more
- Likely 30% to 60%
- Hit-or-miss under 30%
- Evidence
- Years it was seen, out of the years anyone surveyed.
- Records
- OBIS sightings within 60 km.
These are sightings people logged, not a full survey of the reef. A species missing from a month may just mean nobody recorded one.
Diving Cabo San Lucas — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Cabo San Lucas?
- Aim for November to March for the calmest water — seas top 1.5 m on 16% of days, against 42% the rest of the year. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month. Diving holds up from November to July.
- When is the diving season in Cabo San Lucas?
- The diving season in Cabo San Lucas runs November to July, and it is at its best November to March.
- Is the diving in Cabo San Lucas good for beginners?
- Yes. It suits Open Water divers, so it works for a first trip after certification.
- How warm is the water in Cabo San Lucas?
- Between 22 and 29 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in March and warmest in September. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Cabo San Lucas?
- A 5 mm with hood and gloves covers the coldest water of the year. In the warmest months a skin or 3 mm shorty is enough.
- What is the visibility like in Cabo San Lucas?
- Roughly 5 to 30 m depending on the month. That is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a rather than measured in the water.
- What will I see diving Cabo San Lucas?
- The most consistently recorded species are Humpback whale (near-guaranteed), California sea lion (near-guaranteed) and Grey whale (likely), from 9,784 records within 60 km.
- Does Cabo San Lucas get tropical storms?
- Yes. Over 30 years of records a storm passed within 250 km in Jun–Nov, most often in September at 21 of 30 years.
- Is there current in Cabo San Lucas?
- The tide rises and falls 1.7 m around the full and new moon, against 0.8 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid Cabo San Lucas?
- September is the weakest month for conditions.
- How do you dive Cabo San Lucas?
- Mostly from day boats. Trips run through the season, Nov–Jul.