Cancun Snorkel Report Today

Mexico · Updated Sat 06:17 (EST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Marginal Data updated Sat 06:17 (EST)

Cancun looks marginal today. The least-bad daylight window is around Sat 18:00, but waves is limiting the forecast.

Right now (forecast)

Poor · 0.0/10

Sat 06:00 (EST)

Later today

Fair · 4.9/10

Sat 18:00 (EST)

Next three days

Fair · 4.9/10

Sat 18:00 (EST)

Model estimates using Open-Meteo; not observations or safety guarantees. Check official advisories and conditions at the beach.

Score: 4.9/10

Best time: Sat 18:00

Main risk: Waves

Best morning signal: Sat 08:00 (Fair).

Best afternoon signal: Sat 18:00 (Fair). Peak afternoon wind is about 3.9 m/s.

Email me when it is good Compare nearby spots Tours & water activities

Best nearby spots later today

Puerto Morelos 5.5/10 Fair · Sat 18:00 Punta Nizuc 4.8/10 Fair · Sat 18:00 Isla Mujeres 4.3/10 Fair · Sat 15:00

Also see the best places to snorkel in the Caribbean, ranked on our stored historical scores.

Plan your visit

These notes help with planning. Rules and closures can change.

Open map

AccessCancun hotel-zone water is often murkier than Isla Mujeres, Punta Nizuc or Puerto Morelos. Use those reef reports, not the hotel beach, for a snorkel call.

ParkingParking and boat-harbour rules vary by operator and town. Use marked spaces and never block ramps or residents.

ReservationsMany of the best reefs here are boat-only. Book a permitted operator and ask about weather cancellations.

ClosuresWind, swell, and park rules can close a site even when the town beach looks calm. Check the official source before entering.

Marine lifeDo not touch, chase, or feed marine life. Stay off coral and follow local park rules.

CONANP marine parks

Sunrise

06:41

Sunset

18:27

Water

29.1°C

Max air

31.6°C

Sky

Cloudy

96% cloud

No good model window in the next 72 hours

Use the best-available section for the least-bad times.

3-day planner Best available Show data

3-day planner

Saturday

⚠️ Fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Sunday

⚠️ Fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Monday

⚠️ Fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Best available hours

  • Sat 18:00: Fair (0.49) · still limited by waves, tide/current
  • Sat 17:00: Fair (0.47) · still limited by waves, tide/current
  • Sat 15:00: Fair (0.46) · still limited by waves, tide/current

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

  • Waves (71 hours)
  • Tide/current (71 hours)
  • Darkness (35 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

Drift estimate from wind, swell, current and warm water.

Low · 34/100

Low peak drift risk around Sat 08:00.

warm water supports seasonal jellyfish activity; surface drift/current is noticeable; local shoreline exposure is not mapped yet.

Sightings override the model: if you see small purple jellyfish with long trailing tentacles, treat them as sting-capable and give them space.

Upcoming high tides

Next early morning high tide: Sat 08:00

Sat 08:00, Sat 20:00, Sun 09:00, Mon 21:00

Bookable snorkel tours near Cancun

Prices and availability from Viator. Check conditions before you book.

We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Reef Snorkeling in National Park with Beach Club & Lunch

Reef Snorkeling in National Park with Beach Club & Lunch

4.7/5 2825 reviews 4h
From USD 29.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Cancun speedboat and snorkel tour: shared speedboat

Cancun speedboat and snorkel tour: shared speedboat

4.7/5 1529 reviews 2h
From USD 59.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

A wonderful tour through the canals of the Nichupte Lagoon!

3 in 1 Jungle Speedboat and Snorkeling in Cancun

4.9/5 204 reviews 2h 30m
From USD 69.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Small-Group Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Snorkeling in Puerto Morelos

Small-Group Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Snorkeling in Puerto Morelos

4.9/5 530 reviews 2h
From USD 45.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Isla Mujeres tour in a Catamaran with snorkel, open bar, lunch

Isla Mujeres tour in a Catamaran with snorkel, open bar, lunch

3.5/5 58 reviews 8h
From USD 20.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Cancun Jetski and Snorkel Adventure

Cancun Jetski and Snorkel Adventure

4.3/5 131 reviews 2h
From USD 75.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Nearby snorkel spot map

Compare nearby spot forecasts for later today before choosing a beach.

Puerto Morelos Fair · Sat 18:00 5.5/10 Punta Nizuc Fair · Sat 18:00 4.8/10 Isla Mujeres Fair · Sat 15:00 4.3/10

Forecast spot map

Use the map to see where the compared spots sit. Open a card for the hourly forecast.

Puerto Morelos Punta Nizuc Isla Mujeres
  1. Puerto Morelos
  2. Punta Nizuc
  3. Isla Mujeres

This is a location diagram, not a marine chart. Check the shore and local signs in person.

Nearby alternatives in Mexico

Isla Mujeres

15 km away

❌ Poor

Punta Nizuc

16 km away

✅ Good

Puerto Morelos

35 km away

✅ Good

Playa del Carmen

64 km away

✅ Good

Advanced forecast data

Viewing current forecast

Sat 06:00 – Tue 06:00 (EST)

Previous day Yesterday

Snorkel Score (next 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.49 around Sat 18:00; 12 of 24 hours are good, fair, or excellent.

Score trend, higher is better. Excellent ≥ 0.72, good 0.55–0.72, fair 0.35–0.55.

Conditions (24h trends)

Tap a chart to load just that series.

0/24 sampled hours stay at or below 0.36m (range 0.66m to 0.78m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 24/24 sampled hours (range 1.8 to 3.95m/s).

Tides range from 0.08m to 0.26m; 2 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour forecast overview
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Scoring methodology (for technical users)

We score each hour from 0 to 1 using daylight and these weighted components:

  • Wave height (35%): best below 0.36m, then decreases as it rises.
  • Wind speed (25%): best below 5.4m/s, lower is better.
  • Sea surface temperature (15%): best within 20.6°C to 30.4°C.
  • Tide and currents (15%): best around slack/high-tide windows.
  • Daylight (10%): visibility is better in daylight, so night hours score lower.
Detailed hourly data table
Time Wave (m) Wind (m/s) Sea temp (°C) Status
Sat 07:00 0.70 · high 2.61 · good 29.10 · good Fair
Sat 08:00 0.70 · high 2.55 · good 29.10 · good Fair
Sat 09:00 0.68 · high 3.31 · good 29.10 · good Fair
Sat 10:00 0.68 · high 3.95 · good 29.20 · good Fair
Sat 11:00 0.68 · high 3.85 · good 29.20 · good Fair
Sat 12:00 0.66 · high 3.83 · good 29.30 · good Fair
Sat 13:00 0.66 · high 3.80 · good 29.30 · good Fair
Sat 14:00 0.66 · high 3.94 · good 29.30 · good Fair
Sat 15:00 0.66 · high 3.39 · good 29.30 · good Fair
Sat 16:00 0.66 · high 3.47 · good 29.30 · good Fair
Sat 17:00 0.66 · high 3.36 · good 29.30 · good Fair
Sat 18:00 0.66 · high 2.62 · good 29.30 · good Fair
Sat 19:00 0.66 · high 2.35 · good 29.30 · good Poor
Sat 20:00 0.66 · high 1.97 · good 29.30 · good Poor
Sat 21:00 0.66 · high 1.92 · good 29.20 · good Poor
Sat 22:00 0.66 · high 2.66 · good 29.20 · good Poor
Sat 23:00 0.68 · high 2.68 · good 29.20 · good Poor
Sun 00:00 0.70 · high 1.80 · good 29.20 · good Poor
Sun 01:00 0.72 · high 2.78 · good 29.20 · good Poor
Sun 02:00 0.74 · high 2.39 · good 29.20 · good Poor
Sun 03:00 0.74 · high 2.57 · good 29.10 · good Poor
Sun 04:00 0.76 · high 2.45 · good 29.10 · good Poor
Sun 05:00 0.78 · high 3.52 · good 29.10 · good Poor
Sun 06:00 0.78 · high 2.98 · good 29.10 · good Poor
Sun 07:00 0.80 · high 3.02 · good 29.10 · good Fair
Sun 08:00 0.82 · high 3.46 · good 29.20 · good Fair
Sun 09:00 0.86 · high 3.94 · good 29.20 · good Fair
Sun 10:00 0.88 · high 4.09 · good 29.20 · good Fair
Sun 11:00 0.90 · high 3.80 · good 29.30 · good Fair
Sun 12:00 0.92 · high 3.82 · good 29.30 · good Fair
Sun 13:00 0.94 · high 4.19 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Sun 14:00 0.94 · high 4.12 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Sun 15:00 0.94 · high 4.20 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Sun 16:00 0.94 · high 3.54 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Sun 17:00 0.94 · high 3.35 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Sun 18:00 0.92 · high 1.93 · good 29.40 · good Fair
Sun 19:00 0.92 · high 2.28 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Sun 20:00 0.90 · high 2.73 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Sun 21:00 0.90 · high 2.64 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Sun 22:00 0.88 · high 2.31 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Sun 23:00 0.88 · high 2.79 · good 29.30 · good Poor
Mon 00:00 0.88 · high 2.45 · good 29.30 · good Poor
Mon 01:00 0.88 · high 2.80 · good 29.30 · good Poor
Mon 02:00 0.88 · high 2.47 · good 29.30 · good Poor
Mon 03:00 0.88 · high 2.41 · good 29.30 · good Poor
Mon 04:00 0.88 · high 2.76 · good 29.30 · good Poor
Mon 05:00 0.88 · high 2.72 · good 29.30 · good Poor
Mon 06:00 0.86 · high 2.94 · good 29.30 · good Poor
Mon 07:00 0.86 · high 2.80 · good 29.30 · good Fair
Mon 08:00 0.86 · high 3.04 · good 29.40 · good Fair
Mon 09:00 0.86 · high 3.79 · good 29.40 · good Fair
Mon 10:00 0.86 · high 3.78 · good 29.50 · good Fair
Mon 11:00 0.88 · high 3.70 · good 29.50 · good Fair
Mon 12:00 0.88 · high 3.54 · good 29.50 · good Poor
Mon 13:00 0.90 · high 3.53 · good 29.60 · good Poor
Mon 14:00 0.90 · high 3.59 · good 29.60 · good Poor
Mon 15:00 0.92 · high 3.67 · good 29.60 · good Poor
Mon 16:00 0.92 · high 3.55 · good 29.60 · good Poor
Mon 17:00 0.92 · high 3.45 · good 29.60 · good Fair
Mon 18:00 0.94 · high 3.27 · good 29.60 · good Fair
Mon 19:00 0.94 · high 2.96 · good 29.60 · good Poor
Mon 20:00 0.94 · high 3.24 · good 29.60 · good Poor
Mon 21:00 0.94 · high 3.24 · good 29.50 · good Poor
Mon 22:00 0.94 · high 2.97 · good 29.50 · good Poor
Mon 23:00 0.94 · high 2.87 · good 29.50 · good Poor
Tue 00:00 0.92 · high 2.74 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Tue 01:00 0.92 · high 2.79 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Tue 02:00 0.92 · high 2.54 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Tue 03:00 0.92 · high 2.21 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Tue 04:00 0.92 · high 2.08 · good 29.40 · good Poor
Tue 05:00 0.92 · high 2.12 · good 29.40 · good Poor