Mexico enjoys long daylight throughout the year

Mexico’s geographical location gives the country a privileged mix of daylight and dark, regardless of the season.  This is in contrast to countries situated further away from the equator, where daylight hours can be substantially curtailed during the winter months.

One of the reasons why so many people enjoy overwintering in Mexico is because the country offers pleasantry warm or temperate climates, and also because the daylight here remains fairly constant —thus by living here during the winter you can avoid the ‘long nights’ —and enjoy plenty of sunshine, too.

How Mexico’s daylight hours vary during the year

Mexico’s privileged daylight hours can be well illustrated by way of an example.

The table below shows the hours for sunrise and sunset on the longest and shortest days of the year —and the total daylight hours on those days— for three locations in Mexico:

• Tijuana (one of Mexico’s northernmost cities, situated on the border with the US), and
• Mexico City (on a similar latitude to Mérida, in the Yucatán), and
• Tapachula (Mexico’s southernmost city on the border with Guatemala).

Times shown take into account Mexico’s abandonment of annual clock changes.

Enjoying long daylight on the shortest day of the year

The hours recorded in the table above for the ‘winter low’ are for December 21—the shortest day of the year in Mexico. These show that:

• In the northern-most areas of Mexico, even the shortest days of the year give more than 10 hours of daylight.
• In the southern-most areas (nearer to the equator) you can enjoy over eleven-and-a-quarter hours of daylight on the shortest day of the year.
• Mexico City (and Mérida) enjoy virtually eleven hours of daylight, even on the year’s shortest day.

A good balance on the longest days of the year

On June 21 —the longest day of the year in Mexico— you’ll enjoy between 13 and 14 hours of daylight in the peak of summer, regardless of where you’re situated in the country.

Mexico’s geographical location in relation to the equator offers an equitable  balance of night and day all year long, with each month and season offering plenty of daylight every day of the year—which can be supportive to one’s moods, general health, and well-being.

Mexico’s light is also extraordinary

As well as offering an equitable balance of daylight and dark, when you pause to consider the quality of the light here, you come to realize that Mexico’s light is truly extraordinary.

Its quality is especially noticeable in the mountain highlands, although it’s exceptional even at lower elevations, and along the coasts.

Mexico is said to be one of the most ‘colorful countries in the world’ and the quality of the light undoubtably contributes to the sparkling tapestry of colors that may be appreciate here.

Writers describing Mexico often remark, for example, on the sharp and crisp ‘azure blue’ skies, especially in the central highlands.  They’ve noticed how the subtleties and hues of the light in Mexico are quite special.

The exceptional light is complemented by sensational fragrances during the rainy season as the groundwater swells and the flora blossom and bloom.

When the ground becomes parched during the dry season, dust particles rise high up into the atmosphere and contribute to the composition of the most magnificent sunsets you’ll experience anywhere.

Mexico for living and leisure

Mexico is one of the most visited countries in the world, offering beautiful beach locations, picturesque colonial mountain towns, fascinating archaeology, and an abundance of wild, natural habitats to traverse and enjoy. It also offers opportunities for living and lifestyle, that you can also discover and explore here on Mexperience.

• Explore complete guides to aspects of living in Mexico
• Learn about leisure and travel opportunities in Mexico
• Read insightful articles about living and lifestyle in Mexico
• Sign-up to our free email Mexico Newsletter published monthly

The heat and lack of moisture in the air can present several practical challenges for day-to-day living.  This article shares some tips and advice about how to keep yourself well and comfortable, and your home and garden maintained during the driest months of the year.

Dealing with the dust and dander

Grass that isn’t watered regularly turns corn yellow and exposes the dry dusty ground beneath; and pathways in the countryside feel bone dry underfoot as dust, pollen, and other allergens become free to roam through an air bereft of moisture aided by light breezes which come and go throughout the day.

Dust and dander are virtually unavoidable during the dry season, and stocking-up on boxes of soft tissue paper to help expel particles of dust and dander from your nose can be an effective first line of defense.

A wet mop regularly drawn across the floors throughout your home, and a generously dampened cloth wiped across all surfaces where dust gathers can be helpful in reducing any discomfort caused by dust blowing around indoors.

If you wear glasses, regular cleaning can also alleviate eye irritation by preventing dust and pollen building-up on the lenses and frames.  If you’re particularly sensitive you might acquire an air purifier for use indoors, but make sure it has an effective filter that traps allergens, otherwise micro particles of dander will simply get recirculated.

Dust and dander tend to be more problematic inland and less so along the coasts, although at least some dust and/or pollen are inevitable almost anywhere during the dry months.

Dry skin and itching

Prolonged dryness in the air, especially when you’re living at elevation, can affect many people’s skin, with itching being one of the most common symptoms.

Showering less regularly, or simply showering without the use of much soap may help as this will enable your body’s natural oils to protect your skin and reduce itching or other skin irritations, e.g., rashes. (Frequent showers and soap wash away your body’s natural oils.)

Some people use a diluted mix of white vinegar and water instead of detergent-based shampoos to wash their hair which also helps your body’s natural oils to work on your scalp.  A high-quality moisturizing crème may help to alleviate symptoms related to skin irritated by dry air as you pass through these months.

Scarcity of water

There are various ways that your home in Mexico may be supplied by water, and many places across Mexico experience some form of water scarcity during the dry season.  For people who have large gardens (or live in condo complexes with extensive landscaped areas surrounding them) the dry season can be a challenge.

Water deliveries

As we mentioned in our article about spring climates in Mexico, this is the high trading season for the “Pipas”—tank trucks selling potable water.  These trucks can be seen trundling around roads and lanes in the dry season, and although they are especially prevalent in the countryside and outlying areas not served by a mains water supply, you might also see them dispensing top-up supplies to homes in towns and larger cities.  Properties that are not supplied by some type of mains water system may collect and filter water for daily use during the rain season, and residents might arrange for water deliveries by truck to tide them over during the driest months.

Water rationing

Local municipalities may ration mains water feeds to homes during the dry season.  As we mentioned in a related article, Mexico’s water systems are not pressurized and instead deliver water into underground cisterns on the property which is then pumped-up to a tank on the roof for use in the home.  The water supplies that feed the cisterns may have their flow reduced or be turned-off on some days to conserve water, and thus residents need to use what water they have in their cistern more sparingly, or pay to have additional water supplies delivered by truck to top-up their cisterns.

Gardening in the dry season

Gardeners will spend a lot of time between January and May watering their plants to keep them from wilting and dying, and some embark upon a largely forlorn attempt to keep their grass from turning corn-yellow, which it will do naturally in the absence of a soaking each day. (Established grass usually won’t die and swiftly returns to green when the rains return.)

Sprinkler systems

Some people install underground sprinkler systems that activate automatically on a timer in the early morning and late evening; these keep water use down to a minimum by use of a mist-spray water jets that deliver moisture close to the ground in the coolest hours of the day.

Soaker hoses and drip irrigation

Alternatives to an sprinkler system are soaker hoses (that can be snaked around plants or buried just under the surface to deliver moisture directly to roots) and drip irrigation pipes.  This article offers a good overview and comparison of these two water-saving methods.

Using ‘gray’ water for plants

To conserve fresh water supplies, some larger homes and condo developments with extensive gardens use ‘gray water’ collected from rains and wastewater from the property, and store this in a special cistern underground; the stored supply is used to water plants and lawns when there’s no rain to do the job.  Some sprinkler systems are designed to make effective use of this limited water supply although keeping grass green in the dry season does call for a lot of water, nonetheless.

Dealing with the dry heat

Even when you’re situated at elevation, temperatures can gradually climb throughout the day to reach highs of 30 degrees Celsius (86F) between March and May and although these high temperatures tend to last for only a few hours during the late afternoon, the heat combined with dryness, dust, and pollen can combine to create an uncomfortable mixture.

Structuring your daily routines

One method to deal with this dry and sometimes brittle climate is to structure your day so that you get most of your work and chores completed before lunchtime, and return to more vigorous activities in the early evening when the sun sets and the air temperatures fall leaving late evenings cooler, and comfortable.

Using fans, aircon, and pools

Swimming pools can help to keep you cool on the hottest days of the year; air ventilators, ceiling fans, and air conditioning can help you to keep cool indoors, and to sleep.  If you use air ventilators and suffer with allergies, we recommend you use one with a decent filter otherwise all the dust, dander and other particles will simply get blown around the inside of your home.

Hydration and alcohol

Wherever you’re situated, it’s a good idea to stay properly hydrated by drinking plenty of fresh water throughout the day, and limiting your intake of alcohol—that accelerates dehydration.

The return of the rain season

When the seasonal rains return, typically in May or June, another transition period begins from dry to wet, although the flora respond much more quickly to the return of the rains than they do to their departure.  Learn more about living well through Mexico’s rainy season.

Discover Mexico’s seasons

Mexperience helps you to discover Mexico’s diverse topography and climates as you make your lifestyle and leisure plans:

• The dry season begins around October or November.
• The rain season begins in May or June.
• Browse the latest articles about climate and weather in Mexico
• Discover Mexico’s climate through the seasons
• Learn about how Mexico is a land of three lands
• Check individual location guides here on Mexperience for climate by location.
• You can get full details about the weather by region and season on our guide to climate in Mexico.

The Aztec god of the wind

In Aztec culture, Ehecatl is the god of the wind; oftentimes depicted as a plumed serpent and illustrated in the breath and motion of living beings and in the breezes which bring and take the precious rain water that enables things to live and thrive.

Wind patterns by season in Mexico

The behavior of a wind storm in Mexico can be quite mystical: appearing suddenly, transforming a perfectly still and clear day or night into a windswept landscape that causes dust, leaves and other foliage to be strewn across streets, parks, and gardens, and vanishing as abruptly as it appeared.  These often-fleeting wind storms afford divine facilitation of the natural cycles, stripping trees and other flora of weak and dead branches, and ushering seasons through the throes of change.

Arrival of the first autumnal wind storms tend to herald the end of the rain season, usually in October.  As the weeks press-on from October through December, climates in places situated at higher altitudes can begin to get cool or cold, and the typically humid coasts and lowlands have their heat tempered, bringing comfortable warmth to Mexico’s low-lying regions.

During the winter season, this mystical wind can bring cold-fronts —“nortes” as they are known colloquially— most of which tend to linger a few days before passing, and granting a return of the temperate and agreeable winter climates Mexico is renowned for.

When the season begins to turn again from winter to spring, Ehecatl returns in earnest, conveying warmer air flows, and bringing welcome relief from the long dry spells that characterize late spring—in the form of seasonal rains.

Mexico City tends to experience plenty of windy days in March, helping to disperse the soiled air that accrues in the valley basin during the winter months and offering spectacular views of the surrounding mountains including the two majestic volcanoes which flank the capital.

Winds during the rain season

The wind can also be felt during the rain season, usually when temporary gusts appear in the minutes leading-up to a torrential rain storm that will drench the local landscape and everything upon it: the wind may be conspicuous by its complete absence afterwards. By contrast, Mexico’s hurricane season can bring the combination of persistently strong wind and torrential rain where these tropical cyclones make landfall.

Practical considerations

Wind storms can bring about a range of challenges for visitors, travelers and residents in Mexico—these are the most common:

• Like every natural phenomenon, wind storms present risks when you’re driving in Mexico—as trees, rocks, and other debris may fall onto roads and highways.
• The wind is also a potential purveyor of challenges to home-owners in Mexico, as structures (especially roof tiles and palapas) and falling trees can cause significant damage to the property itself and may also cause damage or injury to third parties. (Roof tiles, trees or large branches falling onto a neighbor’s property can leave you with a hefty bill you were not expecting.)  A good home insurance policy will cover many risks associated with wind damage, including third-party liability, but note that none will cover palapas.
• Wind storms can also cause electricity power cuts to homes.  Most of Mexico’s electrical cables are hung overground, and wind storms can cause electrical lamp posts to fall —some have transformers strapped to them that can affect several streets— and if the winds are accompanied by a lightning storm this too can affect electricity supplies.
• Wind storms during the dry season when the ground soil is parched can create localized dust storms. When driving, these can substantially reduce visibility; at home, sudden wind storms can deliver copious amounts of dust into your rooms as it enters through doors and windows you have open for ventilation.

Discover Mexico’s weather and climates

Mexperience helps you to discover Mexico’s diverse topography and climate as you make your lifestyle and leisure plans:

• Learn about how Mexico is a land of three lands
• Discover Mexico’s climate through the seasons
• The rain season begins in May/June and yields to the dry season in October/November
• Check individual travel guides here on Mexperience for climate by location. You can get full details about the weather by region and season on our guide to climate in Mexico.
• Browse the latest articles about climate and weather in Mexico

As we have remarked in articles about the local environment here, the rainy season delivers vitality and color to the landscape with its dramatic and drenching storms which begin around late spring each year.

However, when the rainstorms vanish in the late fall —almost as abruptly as they were ushered in by the mystical wind that brought them in the spring— the dry cycle begins to unveil a significant change as the moisture gradually evaporates from the ground and the air becomes noticeably drier.

The transition from drenching rain to dry land

When the rains eventually stop, there is so much moisture near the surface of the ground that it takes some months for the full effects of the dry season to begin to be seen and felt across the local environment.  It’s this ‘evaporation’ period, usually lasting about eight to twelve weeks, that creates a graduated transition from wet to dry.

When the dryness does finally take hold, landscapes that were moist, verdant, and colorful turn to shades of yellow, brown and orange; dust and dander roam freely through the air, and the soft fragrances of rain-soaked earth and flora are substituted by a dry and sometimes grating ambience that can, on occasions, combine to create an uncomfortable mixture of heat, dust, and dander.

The dry season by regions across Mexico

Regions across Mexico experience the effect of the dry season in different ways, influenced by their latitude. elevation, and proximity to the ocean.

Northern Mexico

The vast, dry, deserts of northern Mexico remain arid for most of the year; the majority of the rain that falls in this region appears during mid-summer—July through September.

The Baja California peninsula doesn’t experience a ‘rainy season’ per se and typically remains dry most months throughout the year; the southern areas of the peninsula can experience some rainfall in August and September; and the entire the Baja peninsula can be affected by hurricanes which typically brew anytime from June through November and will break any dry spells when torrential rains and tropical storms make landfall.

Mexico’s central highlands

The central highland plains, from Zacatecas in the north to Oaxaca in the south, are defined by a series of majestic mountain ranges, some of which are volcanic. This region is home to many colonial towns and cities situated at elevation.

These places start to turn dry during the late fall, and become very dry and dusty by mid-winter.  High daytime temperatures peak during May, by which time both people and nature yearn for the refreshing return of the rains that typically return in May or June.

Mexico’s Pacific and Gulf coasts

The dry season begins in late fall, and if you’re situated along the Pacific or Gulf Coast, you can expect temperatures to begin to warm-up noticeably from February and by late March these coastal areas will be drenching hot and humid.  The heat and humidity will prevail through the dry season, interspersed by sporadic storms until the rains begin again, typically around late May or in June.

The Copper Canyon and Chiapas

Two of Mexico’s areas of out outstanding natural beauty offer quite different experiences during the dry season.

Copper Canyon in the dry season

The breath-taking landscapes of the Copper Canyon in Mexico’s northwest region turn to hues of yellow, orange, and brown during the dry season that begins in November and breaks in July.  During these dry months, the rivers ebb down to their lowest points, and during the winter months snowfall may settle on higher ground. Most travelers visit the canyons between July and November when the canyons are verdant and the rivers swell with water and wildlife, although some visitors purposely travel to the region during the dry season to experience the contrasts, especially if they have visited before during the rain season.

Chiapas in the dry season

The moist, sub-tropical, region of Chiapas that is carpeted in forest and foliage remains verdant for most of the year, but rains are rare between February and May.  When the rains return in earnest during June, the turquoise waters of the Agua Azul waterfalls turn brown as the rains stir-up the river’s sediment; the ‘postcard pictures’ you often see of these splendid waterfalls are usually taken at the end of the rain season in late fall and early winter, when the rivers are swollen and the sediment has settled.

The Yucatán peninsula

The rainy season on Mexico’s southern peninsula typically ends in late October or early November.  As the region is situated near sea level, dry season temperatures begin to climb steeply from February onwards and reach their high points in April and May, when daytime high temperatures can touch 45-50 degrees Celsius (113-122 Fahrenheit). The rains in the Yucatán region typically return in June, and although they can help to temper the heat, the humidity persists.

This region is also home to Cancún and the Riviera Maya and is why the ‘dry season is the high season’ for beach resort visitors and ‘snowbird residents’ (people who escape cold winters to live in Mexico) as daytime temperatures are more comfortable and afternoon rainstorms are infrequent.

Localized rains during the dry season

Rainstorms can roll in across the landscape even in the middle of the dry season.  They are akin to unexpected small gifts as they are infrequent, usually brief, and invariably localized: it can rain for a couple of hours in places across Mexico City and remain bone dry in the neighboring state of Morelos during the same week.

The highland mountain ranges tend to encapsulate these abrupt micro storms into the nooks, crannies and valleys of the local topography—soaking one place for a couple of hours and leaving another parched even though it’s only a few miles away.

Dry season rainstorms, when they happen, are usually shorter and much less intense than the dramatic and drenching seasonal storms that characterize the rain season in Mexico. Overcast days that don’t yield rain can help to temper the day’s heat and make daytimes feel fresher and more comfortable.

Visiting Mexico during the dry season

Some visitors to Mexico purposely avoid the rain season, but as we’ve remarked elsewhere, this can be a mistake as the rains bring vibrancy, color, and fragrances to the local environment that you’ll never experience in the driest months.

By the same token, the dry season —that more or less runs from late fall to late spring— offers-up some opportunities that you won’t find when the rains arrive.  Beach locations are popular in the dry season as coastal temperatures moderate from their summer highs to become comfortably warm; rain is infrequent, and hurricanes don’t form this time of year.

The Monarch Butterflies overwinter here during the dry season, and it’s also the most popular time of the year for visits to Mérida and the Yucatán peninsula.

Learning to live through Mexico’s dry season

Most of the ‘snowbirds’ (part-time winter residents) arrive in Mexico sometime during October or November and stay until March or April of the following year, thus enjoying comfortable autumn and winter climates and avoiding the heaviest rains.

Practical advice for living well during the dry season

If you’re living in Mexico, or are staying for an extended period, between November and May each year learn about practical tips for living through the dry season, including helpful advice about how to stay well and comfortable during these, the driest months of the year.

Discover Mexico’s weather and climates

Mexperience helps you to discover Mexico’s diverse topography and climate as you make your lifestyle and leisure plans:

• Learn about how Mexico is a land of three lands
• Discover Mexico’s climate through the seasons
• The rain season begins in May/June and yields to the dry season in October/November
• Check individual travel guides here on Mexperience for climate by location. You can get full details about the weather by region and season on our guide to climate in Mexico.
• Browse the latest articles about climate and weather in Mexico

• buying land to build a residential home; or
• considering a home that is situated in a semi-rural or rural area; and/or
• looking at a property that has been recently constructed.

There are many properties in Mexico that are not connected to a mains or community-managed water network, especially (but not solely) in rural areas, and properties without a mains water feed need to be served by one of two alternative means: rainwater, or water truck deliveries (or a combination of these two).

The effect of the dry season on water supplies

Most of Mexico experiences a ‘dry season’ lasting about six months, between November/December and May/June, although water scarcity doesn’t typically become noticeable until around mid-to-late February.

The dry season brings challenges to the landscape as well to home owners, as water can become quite scarce in some areas or regions—even at properties served by water main systems as supplies to homes are throttled by water authorities to conserve supplies until the rains return and local underground wells get replenished.

How will your property get its water?

When you’re buying property in Mexico, whether it’s a built home, and especially when investing in land upon which you intend to build your home, it’s vital to know exactly what the water supply arrangements are, because it may not be as straightforward as you might expect.

Land (or property) without a reliable water source will require you to depend on water deliveries by truck (if available locally) and/or you will need to collect rainwater in season (between May/June and October/November)—and keep this water stored in underground cisterns on the property.

In Mexico’s established towns and cities, water is most usually piped directly to homes in residential neighborhoods using a water mains network, with each home’s supply routed through a water meter by which you pay according to your consumption. Water bills are sent out bi-monthly. Mains water is usually fine for washing, bathing, and cooking, but it might not be suitable for drinking without being filtered.

If the property you’re planning to buy is not served by a mains water system, then its wise to establish what water supply arrangements are currently in place —or can be put into place— to supply the property with a reliable supply of water before you sign a contract to buy.

Water supply in Mexico

Properties in Mexico usually obtain their water supply from one of four principal sources:

• a mains water system, which is usually metered; or
• a local community water system fed from a licensed water well; or
• a combination of rainwater collection (in season); and
• water-truck deliveries.

You can learn more about water supply services here.

Getting a reliable water supply for your property

If you discover that a property you’re interested in is not served by a water main system, don’t take anyone’s word, or hear-say, about other sources. Undertake due diligence and find out how the property is being served by water (or whether you’ll need to make alternative arrangements) and ascertain that any existing supply agreements that are in place are binding in the event of a property transfer.

In the absence of a water main system, your property may be supplied with water in these ways:

Local mains or community water systems

If a local mains water supply or community water system exists locally, you ought be able to get your property connected to it—but double check this as local rules and regulations about connections can be quirky.

The procedure to get connected can be time-consuming and will involve negotiation with local water authorities or community leaders, as well as connection fees in addition to the consumption or annual supply costs.

Consult with the local water authority (or community leaders in rural areas) as well as a local architect and/or plumber about the options and costs involved to get a property connected to the local mains system.

Local water wells

If the water source is a licensed local water well, this should be stipulated on the deeds or related contract or covenant and the property’s right to access to the well and the system that delivers water from it should be checked and verified by you and/or the Notary Public dealing with your property transaction.

Rain collection

Properties that are not near, or which cannot connect to, mains or community water systems will often have underground cisterns on-site that store rainwater, collected in season using roof capture systems.

Modern rainwater collection methods make optimal use of the roof space to collect and channel rainwater into underground water cisterns.  Read more about this in the next section about water collection and storage.

Water delivery by truck

Most towns and villages, and especially those in (semi)rural areas, have a company or two operating a fleet of local water delivery trucks.  Most of the vehicles are usually kept parked and idle between June and October, but when the dry season starts, they ply a brisk trade by transporting water to local residences that are not supplied by a water main system, and whose rainwater collection arrangements are either non-existent or whose water cisterns have run low and require a refill.

The smaller trucks have tanks carrying 5,000 liters (1,300 US gallons) of water; the large ones carry 10,000 liters (2,600 US gallons) of water.

Water truck deliveries are essential during the dry season for many properties that don’t have a mains water supply; and properties that have large gardens and/or swimming pools tend to require refills of their water cisterns during the dry season if they don’t have rainwater collection and/or substantial underground cistern space.

You can never be sure about the precise amount of water being dispensed by the delivery truck: you buy ‘a tank’ at at an agreed price and whatever amount of water is in the truck gets pumped out of it and into your property’s cistern —there is no metering system— although if you know the full capacity of your cistern, you can estimate the amount of water that was dispensed after it’s been filled based on how full the cistern was before and after the delivery.

Buying water from delivery trucks is the second-most expensive to way to buy water; only purified water in bottles costs more. Prices for a tank fluctuate locally depending on factors such as current diesel fuel costs and how far away your property is situated from the licensed water wells that refill these trucks. If your home is near the water truck station, you’ll be offered a lower price than if it’s situated many miles away from it; and prices can escalate if your home is more remote, e.g., on a mountain ridge requiring the heavy water-laden truck to climb steep roads and negotiate dusty country lanes to arrive.

Water collection, storage, filtering, recycling—and gardening

Rainwater collection is a viable way to enjoy a beautiful countryside property that is not near a mains water feed, or which is too far away from the nearest community run water system to connect at a reasonable cost.

There are five key considerations to take into account when your property needs to collect rainwater as part of its water supply:

Efficient rainwater collection

The tremendous thunderstorms that arrive in the late spring and summer drench the landscape and each storm releases colossal amounts of water that can be collected for use in your home.

One square meter of roof space can potentially collect one liter of water for each one millimeter of rain that falls; thus the ratio is 1:1:1.

• If you’re building your own home, talk to your architect about how to design the roof space to optimize rainwater collection.
• If you’re buying an older home, talk to an architect or water management consultant about how you can use the existing roof space for collection, and/or make adjustments to the existing roof to optimize the amount of rainwater you can collect on your property.

Water storage at your home in Mexico

As we remarked on our article about water pressure in Mexico, most properties, even those supplied by a mains water system, have an underground cistern to store water for use on the property.

If your home is not near a water mains feed system, and/or remotely or rurally situated, having ample water storage is essential to keep you sufficiently supplied with water through the dry months of the year when rain is scarce or non-existent, and to minimize your dependency on water truck deliveries.

Water for your garden during Mexico’s dry season

The dry season brings two key challenges to home owners who have gardens in homes without a mains water supply: the absence of rain requires you to use substantial quantities of water to keep your garden flora alive, and your water cisterns are not being replenished for daily water use around the home.

Don’t underestimate the volume of water that you’ll need to maintain your home’s garden during the dry season.

There are many techniques to optimize the use of water in your garden during the dry season, and this article provides an excellent primer on the subject.

Water filtering for drinking

As we remarked in our article about drinking water in Mexico, most people buy bottled water, or filter water supplied to the property before they use it for drinking—whether it’s supplied by a mains feed system, water delivery trucks, or is collected from rainfall.

Water recycling on the property

The latest techniques used for water collection at residential homes also feature systems to recycle water within the property—channeling water that cannot be reused in the home into the garden to feed the flora, and channeling water than can be filtered and reused back into the property’s water cistern for reuse in the home itself.

The methods recycle a helpful percentage of every liter used, which reduces the amount of water cistern storage space required (cisterns can be expensive to build) and make efficient use of the rainwater that’s been collected.

Contact a water consultant in your local area, or talk to a local architect or plumber about options available for water recycling on your property.

Learn more about water supplies in Mexico

Mexperience publishes articles and guides to help you understand water supplies and the efficient use of water at your home in Mexico, including:

• How water is delivered to homes in Mexico
• Understanding water pressure systems
• Clarity about drinking the water
• Latest articles related to use of water in Mexico
• Latest articles about Mexico’s rainy season and dry season
• Free eBook: Home Maintenance and Security in Mexico

Previous solar eclipses

The last time a solar eclipse path crossed over North America was on August 21^st, 2017.  Back then, northern US states experienced the event—but the path came nowhere near Mexico.

The last time Mexico experienced a solar eclipse was on July 11^th 1991, the ribbon of which draped across southern and central areas of the country (including the capital) and touched parts of the Baja California peninsula.

The 2024 solar eclipse across Mexico

The ‘totality’ ribbon of the solar eclipse that will cross Mexico on April 8, 2024 —11,960 days after the last one in 1991— will pass over several states in northern Mexico and create a partial solar eclipse in varying degrees across almost all of Mexico’s land territory.

The eclipse is happening during Mexico’s dry season, so the skies in Mexico’s northern (mostly desert) regions are likely to offer a unique opportunity to view the totality of the eclipse amidst crystal clear skies. Parts of the Mexican states of Coahuila, Durango, Nayarit, and Sinaloa will be under a total or near total ribbon of the solar eclipse in 2024.

Mazatlán, Torreón near the totality line

This zoom-able map on Google shows the totality (red) and near totality (yellow) lines—inside of which you can experience near or absolute darkness around midday.

The ‘totality ribbon’ is about 115 miles (185km) wide. Purists in all matters eclipse assert that nothing less than 100% will do, and if you’re seeking that absolute totality in Mexico this year, note that the central totality line in 2024 doesn’t cross any large Mexican towns or cities precisely—Mexico’s northern deserts are vast, and mostly uninhabited.

However, if you’re in Mazatlán, a short drive south of there to Playa Las Garzas will get you on target, and if you’re in the northern city of Torreón, a drive north on highway 49(D), to near the small town of La Esperanza, will also get you to the magic line.

This map on Time and Date shows helpful shaded areas across all of Mexico that will experience the total and partial eclipse in varying degrees, along with times.

Further resources

The information box that follows shares some links you may find helpful for further research and exploration about the solar eclipse in Mexico.

A transitional period

Early spring in Mexico is a transitional period that is often expressed with “febrero loco, y marzo otro poco,” a popular Mexican saying which describes the sudden change-ability (and increased unpredictability) of the weather during these two months of the year. It’s also a reminder that while the coolest days of winter may have passed, the warm spring days have not fully established their presence.

In the same way that cooling autumn days can suddenly turn summer-like in the highlands, warming days in early spring can suddenly turn cool and while these transitional snaps are brief, they can catch you off-guard.

In central and northern states along the central highlands, and in the highland regions west of Mexico City, cooler temperatures can persist into May, particularly overnight and during the early mornings.  It’s worth packing and dressing for this changeability when you visit these regions during the spring.

Late spring can give rise to localized wind storms, that may appear suddenly, transforming a perfectly still day or night into a windswept landscape—and vanishing abruptly.  They often present themselves in the weeks leading-up the start of the rain season.

Clocks don’t spring forward in Mexico

In 2022, Mexico’s congress and senate voted to abandon seasonal clock changes, which set the country’s clocks forward by one hour in the spring, and back again by one hour in the fall. Some municipalities along the border with the USA will continue to move their clocks to synchronize with corresponding border cities in the US.

Although of Mexico won’t change its clocks this spring & fall, clock changes elsewhere will create time differences to note when you plan travels and meetings

As we have remarked elsewhere in these pages, the clock change was never popular in Mexico, and the country’s geographical location offers naturally-long daylight all year, regardless of any clock-time adjustments.

Jacaranda flowers bloom, coasts are popular

Annual trees begin to blossom again starting late February, redressing their branches and contributing another layer to the tapestries of bright color which Mexico is so well known for.  The arrival of the elegant purple Jacaranda flowers is a bellwether sign that winter is truly passing.

Winter and early springtime months are ideal to visit or live near Mexico’s coasts, as humidity levels recede and there is little chance of rain—and virtually no chance of tropical storms which are formed over the oceans in high summer heat.

The driest months of the year

Early spring reveals the effects of Mexico’s dry season: by February, the natural moisture near the ground’s surface has evaporated, country trails and lanes turn dusty, grass lawns and fields turn corn-yellow and patchy.  Aside from an occasional rain storm, these are the driest months of the year in Mexico, especially across the central highlands.

Some years during mid-to-late spring, temperatures may rise significantly even in the highland mountain areas that are typically temperate year-round.  Temperature variations can vary depending on the region, and the year.  Unusually daytime high temperatures in the central and southern highlands —which can exceed 27C/80F and reach highs of around 35C/95F— will  cool down swiftly, even in the hottest years, when the rain season begins—typically during the latter part of May, or in June.

Springtime is high trading season for the “Pipas,” water-tank trucks labelled Agua Potable, which can regularly be seen trundling around roads and lanes during this time of year, especially in the countryside and outlying areas where some homes collect and filter rainwater for daily use and residents may arrange a water delivery to tide them over. (Each tank-truck dispenses up to 10,000 liters of clean water into a property’s underground cistern.)

Keen gardeners spend a lot of time watering their plants during early spring to keep them from wilting, and some embark upon a largely forlorn attempt to keep the grass from turning corn-yellow, which it will do naturally in the absence of a heavy drenching each day.

To conserve fresh water supplies, some larger homes (or condo developments) with extensive gardens use ‘gray water,’ collected from rains and waste water and stored in a special cistern underground to water lawns and plants during this dry season of the year.  When the rain season returns in May or June the grass swiftly recolors to emerald green.

From dusty lanes to drenching rains

Every season in Mexico offers a unique climate experience for visitors and residents to enjoy. While the change from winter to spring is not as clearly noticeable as that further north in the hemisphere, springtime in Mexico does offer a chance to witness some fascinating natural contrasts and transitions.

By the time the shops and local markets become overflowing with juicy seasonal mangos, you’ll know it’s May again: air temperatures rise noticeably during mid-to-late spring before the start of refreshing summer rains that will propel the flora, bring welcome relief from the hot, dry, dusty streets and country trails, and help to temper the daytime heat inland as well as along the coasts.

Discover Mexico’s weather and climates

Mexperience helps you to discover Mexico’s diverse topography and climate as you make your lifestyle and leisure plans:

• Learn about how Mexico is a land of three lands
• Discover Mexico’s climate through the seasons
• The rain season begins in May/June and yields again to the dry season in October/November
• Check individual travel guides here on Mexperience for climate by location. You can get full details about the weather by region and season on our guide to climate in Mexico.
• Browse the latest articles about climate and weather in Mexico

Seasonal changes and cooler air temperatures

The climate in Mexico begins to turn during the Autumn when temperatures at higher altitudes will begin to feel generally cooler from late September.  By mid-to-late December, towns and cities situated at higher elevations can feel chilly or even cold after sundown, and in the early hours of the morning.

How marked the temperature change feels depends on where you are in Mexico.

Areas situated at lower elevations and near the coasts lose their high humidity and heat to become pleasantly warm, whereas the central highlands and some areas along the Gulf Coast are cooler and also become subject to temporary cold fronts from the north —colloquially called nortes in Spanish— which can bring gusts of icy wind and even overnight frost for a few days at a time.

Cold spells tend to pass surprisingly quickly and on most winter days daytime-high temperatures can reach a pleasantly-warm 21-23 degrees centigrade; 70-74 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cooler winters in Mexico’s central highland regions

As we outlined in a related article, Mexico is a land of three lands, featuring low-lying coastal plains, central highland areas, as well as some settlements situated high-up in the mountains.

Winter climates in Mexico’s central highlands range from temperate to cool, and can also turn cold on occasions.

Mexico’s northern regions (as well as Mexico’s Copper Canyon) can experience sub-zero temperatures and even snowfall through the winter months.

In the central highland states of Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Aguascalientes, and Zacatecas, as well as the central western highland areas of Guadalajara and Chapala/Ajijic, and Pátzcuaro and Morelia in the state of Michoacán, winter temperatures can oscillate between being comfortably warm during the day, to freezing overnight; these areas are also subject to cold spells brought by inclement weather fronts from the north.

Temperatures in the valley of Mexico City, situated at an elevation of around 7,300 feet above sea level, can feel quite cool and sometimes cold overnight between late November and early February.

Where to find warmth during winter months in Mexico

For warmth during December, January and February, you’ll need to be situated in lower-lying areas, or near Mexico’s coasts.

Los Cabos and Baja California Sur, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Cancún and the Riviera Maya, Manzanillo, Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, Acapulco, Huatulco, Mérida and the Yucatán peninsula —places which can get very hot during the summer months— tend to enjoy gloriously comfortable and warm temperatures during the winter, which is why they are so popular with part-time winter residents, sometimes referred to as “snowbirds.”  These are also favorite winter-getaway places for residents of Mexico’s highlands who may repair to the coast for a few days’ dose of sweet warm air, especially if a cold front lingers.

Further south, in less arid states and those which slope down to the coasts, the climate tends to be more temperate year-round, and while winters can feel cool and be subject to cold spells, they don’t get as cold as those states situated further north. South of Mexico City, the states of Morelos, Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas are less prone to cold or freezing temperatures during the winter months.

The state of Michoacán, west of Mexico City, is the one of the states that features a combination of highland areas inland and coastal plains as you travel further west and down to the Pacific; and temperatures can thus vary dramatically: Pátzcuaro will feel chilly or cold after sundown during the winter months, whereas a three-hour drive west from there to Zihuatanejo the climate becomes pleasantly warm.

Enjoy Mexico’s long daylight hours, even during winter

A big attraction of Mexico’s climate is that, temperatures aside, it offers long hours of daylight all year-round.  During winter, daylight hours do shorten a little, but most places in Mexico enjoy between ten and eleven hours of daylight every day of the year—in contrast to other countries further away from the equator, where you can experience as little as five hours or less of daylight in the depths of winter.

Winter brings the Monarch Butterflies to Mexico

The Monarch Butterflies begin to arrive in Mexico from around mid-November. The highland oyamel fir-tree forests where they overwinter are coldest during December, causing the insects to cluster together on the trees for warmth, so if you want to see the butterflies in a more active state, then the ideal time to visit them is from mid-January to mid-March —the peak viewing season— when the daytime temperatures are warmer.

Late winter climates in Mexico

By late January, you can begin to feel the climate shifting again, and by late February evening and nighttime temperatures in the central highlands can return to feeling pleasantly fresh again as winter yields to spring in Mexico, ushering-in some of the driest days of the year before the rain season returns in May or June.

As winter passes, the temperatures near the coasts begin to transition back from being comfortably warm to being hotter during the spring months, which is also when the humidity returns to places situated on and near the coast.

Discover Mexico’s weather and climates

Mexperience helps you to discover Mexico’s diverse topography and climate as you make your lifestyle and leisure plans:

• Learn about how Mexico is a land of three lands
• Discover Mexico’s climate through the seasons
• The rain season begins in May/June and yields to the dry season in October/November
• Check individual travel guides here on Mexperience for climate by location. You can get full details about the weather by region and season on our guide to climate in Mexico.
• Browse the latest articles about climate and weather in Mexico

Mains-fed water systems

At properties situated in most of Mexico’s urban towns and cities, water is provided by a mains-feed system with the property also connected to a mains-sewerage system.

The pressure of these systems varies and you may need to use a pump or hydraulic system on-site to increase the pressure for use around the home. Mains-fed water is usually metered at a rate per cubic meter charged to the property.  (One cubic meter of water is equal to 1,000 liters of water.)

Rates vary by state and by even neighborhood in towns and cities—check locally for details.  Prices are affordable, and the rate includes the mains sewerage fees.

Communal water feed systems

Where properties are situated outside of main cities and towns, and especially in semi-rural and rural areas, a water mains-feed is probably not available and in these situations, the property might be supplied by water from a communally-run local water feed system.

Where a communal water feed system is available, its water is usually sourced from local springs or water wells connected to a local pipe network.  A master tap is opened for several hours once or twice a week, which feeds water from the local system into underground cisterns on the properties which are served by the pipe network.  These systems are not ‘metered’ per house, but an annual fee is payable to the local municipality, and rates vary.

Rainwater and water wells

In absence of a mains-fed or local communal water system, water supply to the home will depend on a licensed private well on-site (or near the property with permission to draw water from it) or, more usually, collecting rain water in season and topping this up with deliveries from water trucks, especially during the dry season.

Water delivery by truck

Water delivery trucks source their water from licensed local springs or water wells and typically dispense up to 10 cubic meters of water (10,000 liters) into an underground cistern on the property.  Prices per cubic meter vary by region.  There are 3.78 liters in 1 US gallon; therefore 10,000 liters is equivalent to approximately 2,645 US gallons.  Learn more about water delivered by truck.

Sewerage systems

Properties in urban areas with mains-fed water can usually connect to a mains sewerage system.  Where a connection to the mains sewer is not possible (or there is no mains sewer in the area) the property will need a septic tank system on-site to deal with its sewerage.

Learn more about sewerage and septic tanks systems for your house in Mexico

Learn more about water supplies in Mexico

Mexperience publishes articles and guides to help you understand water supplies and the efficient use of water at your home in Mexico, including:

• Water supplies for residential homes in Mexico
• Understanding water pressure systems
• Clarity about drinking the water
• Sewerage and septic tank systems in Mexico
• Latest articles related to use of water in Mexico
• Latest articles about Mexico’s rainy season and dry season