What is the best time of day to snorkel in Chankanaab?

Snorkel in daylight, if possible in the morning before the wind picks up. Currents are often weaker near high slack tide. SnorkelForecast scores each daylight hour for Chankanaab.

What is the best tide for snorkeling?

High slack tide, within about an hour of the high-tide peak, often has weaker currents. Strong low tides and tidal flow near channels or headlands reduce the score.

Where are the best snorkeling conditions near Chankanaab today?

The nearby spots with the best forecasts later today are Palancar Reef. Check each spot page for hourly wind, wave, tide and water temperature detail.

Chankanaab Snorkel Report Today

Mexico · Updated Thu 06:22 (EST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Go in the best window Data updated Thu 06:22 (EST)

Chankanaab has a usable snorkeling window around Thu 07:00. The main thing to watch is tide/current.

Right now (forecast)

Poor · 0.0/10

Thu 06:00 (EST)

Later today

Good · 6.8/10

Thu 18:00 (EST)

Next three days

Excellent · 7.5/10

Sat 09:00 (EST)

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

Score: 6.8/10

Best time: Thu 07:00

Main risk: Tide/Current

Best morning signal: Thu 07:00 (Good).

Best afternoon signal: Thu 18:00 (Good). Peak afternoon wind is about 2.9 m/s.

Email me when it is good Compare nearby spots

Best nearby spots later today

Palancar Reef 4.6/10 Fair · Thu 18:00

Sunrise

06:35

Sunset

18:48

Water

30.0°C

Max air

31.1°C

Sky

Clear

19% cloud

Good model window in the next 72 hours

Next good model window: Thu 07:00–18:00 (51% of the next 72h meets the model threshold)

3-day planner Best available Show data

3-day planner

Thursday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Tide/current

Friday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Tide/current

Saturday

✅ Excellent conditions

Main blocker: Tide/current

Best available hours

The next good model window starts at Thu 07:00 and lasts until 18:00.

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

Tide/current (71 hours)
Darkness (35 hours)
Sea temperature (11 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

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

Low · 34/100

Low drift risk now.

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 04:00

Sat 04:00

Nearby snorkel spot map

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

Palancar Reef Fair · Thu 18:00 4.6/10

Forecast spot map

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

Palancar Reef

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

Nearby alternatives in Mexico

Cozumel

7 km away

✅ Good

Palancar Reef

11 km away

✅ Good

Playa del Carmen

23 km away

✅ Good

Akumal

34 km away

✅ Good

Advanced forecast data

Viewing current forecast

Thu 06:00 – Sun 06:00 (EST)

Previous day Yesterday

Snorkel Score (next 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.68 around Thu 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.

24/24 sampled hours stay at or below 0.36m (range 0.26m to 0.36m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 24/24 sampled hours (range 0.71 to 2.89m/s).

Tides range from 0.0m to 0.14m; 0 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour forecast overview

Thu 07:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 08:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 09:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 10:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 11:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 12:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 13:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 14:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 15:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 16:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 17:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 18:00 Good 🌟 Good

Thu 19:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 20:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 21:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 22:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Thu 23:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 00:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 01:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 02:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 03:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 04:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 05:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 06:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 07:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 08:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 09:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 10:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 11:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 12:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 13:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 14:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 15:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 16:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 17:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 18:00 Good 🌟 Good

Fri 19:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 20:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 21:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 22:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Fri 23:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 00:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 01:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 02:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 03:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 04:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 05:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 06:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 07:00 Good 🌟 Good

Sat 08:00 Good 🌟 Good

Sat 09:00 Excellent ✅ Excellent

Sat 10:00 Good 🌟 Good

Sat 11:00 Excellent ✅ Excellent

Sat 12:00 Good 🌟 Good

Sat 13:00 Good 🌟 Good

Sat 14:00 Good 🌟 Good

Sat 15:00 Good 🌟 Good

Sat 16:00 Good 🌟 Good

Sat 17:00 Good 🌟 Good

Sat 18:00 Good 🌟 Good

Sat 19:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 20:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 21:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 22:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sat 23:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sun 00:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sun 01:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sun 02:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sun 03:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sun 04:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sun 05:00 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
Thu 07:00	0.34 · good	2.44 · good	30.00 · good	Good
Thu 08:00	0.34 · good	2.79 · good	30.00 · good	Good
Thu 09:00	0.34 · good	0.86 · good	30.10 · good	Good
Thu 10:00	0.34 · good	1.16 · good	30.20 · good	Good
Thu 11:00	0.34 · good	2.39 · good	30.20 · good	Good
Thu 12:00	0.36 · good	1.98 · good	30.30 · good	Good
Thu 13:00	0.36 · good	1.74 · good	30.30 · good	Good
Thu 14:00	0.34 · good	2.21 · good	30.30 · good	Good
Thu 15:00	0.34 · good	2.35 · good	30.30 · good	Good
Thu 16:00	0.32 · good	2.89 · good	30.30 · good	Good
Thu 17:00	0.32 · good	2.80 · good	30.30 · good	Good
Thu 18:00	0.30 · good	2.31 · good	30.30 · good	Good
Thu 19:00	0.30 · good	1.93 · good	30.20 · good	Poor
Thu 20:00	0.30 · good	1.82 · good	30.20 · good	Poor
Thu 21:00	0.30 · good	2.09 · good	30.10 · good	Poor
Thu 22:00	0.30 · good	2.48 · good	30.10 · good	Poor
Thu 23:00	0.30 · good	1.85 · good	30.00 · good	Poor
Fri 00:00	0.30 · good	2.02 · good	30.00 · good	Poor
Fri 01:00	0.30 · good	0.81 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Fri 02:00	0.28 · good	0.92 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Fri 03:00	0.28 · good	0.85 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Fri 04:00	0.26 · good	0.89 · good	29.80 · good	Poor
Fri 05:00	0.26 · good	0.71 · good	29.80 · good	Poor
Fri 06:00	0.26 · good	0.86 · good	29.80 · good	Poor
Fri 07:00	0.26 · good	1.64 · good	29.90 · good	Good
Fri 08:00	0.26 · good	1.70 · good	29.90 · good	Good
Fri 09:00	0.24 · good	1.85 · good	30.00 · good	Good
Fri 10:00	0.24 · good	2.09 · good	30.20 · good	Good
Fri 11:00	0.24 · good	2.44 · good	30.30 · good	Good
Fri 12:00	0.22 · good	2.27 · good	30.40 · good	Good
Fri 13:00	0.22 · good	2.37 · good	30.50 · out of range	Good
Fri 14:00	0.22 · good	2.30 · good	30.50 · out of range	Good
Fri 15:00	0.22 · good	2.93 · good	30.60 · out of range	Good
Fri 16:00	0.22 · good	1.55 · good	30.60 · out of range	Good
Fri 17:00	0.22 · good	1.30 · good	30.60 · out of range	Good
Fri 18:00	0.22 · good	1.96 · good	30.60 · out of range	Good
Fri 19:00	0.22 · good	2.12 · good	30.50 · out of range	Poor
Fri 20:00	0.22 · good	1.78 · good	30.50 · out of range	Poor
Fri 21:00	0.22 · good	1.66 · good	30.40 · good	Poor
Fri 22:00	0.22 · good	1.26 · good	30.30 · good	Poor
Fri 23:00	0.22 · good	1.61 · good	30.10 · good	Poor
Sat 00:00	0.22 · good	1.41 · good	30.00 · good	Poor
Sat 01:00	0.22 · good	0.36 · good	30.00 · good	Poor
Sat 02:00	0.22 · good	0.00 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Sat 03:00	0.22 · good	0.22 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Sat 04:00	0.22 · good	0.46 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Sat 05:00	0.22 · good	0.93 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Sat 06:00	0.22 · good	0.97 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Sat 07:00	0.22 · good	1.76 · good	29.90 · good	Good
Sat 08:00	0.22 · good	2.23 · good	30.00 · good	Good
Sat 09:00	0.22 · good	0.60 · good	30.10 · good	Excellent
Sat 10:00	0.22 · good	0.35 · good	30.20 · good	Good
Sat 11:00	0.22 · good	0.85 · good	30.30 · good	Excellent
Sat 12:00	0.24 · good	1.92 · good	30.40 · good	Good
Sat 13:00	0.24 · good	1.92 · good	30.50 · out of range	Good
Sat 14:00	0.24 · good	1.24 · good	30.50 · out of range	Good
Sat 15:00	0.24 · good	1.28 · good	30.50 · out of range	Good
Sat 16:00	0.24 · good	0.96 · good	30.40 · good	Good
Sat 17:00	0.24 · good	1.10 · good	30.40 · good	Good
Sat 18:00	0.22 · good	0.92 · good	30.30 · good	Good
Sat 19:00	0.22 · good	1.92 · good	30.30 · good	Poor
Sat 20:00	0.22 · good	1.51 · good	30.20 · good	Poor
Sat 21:00	0.22 · good	2.21 · good	30.20 · good	Poor
Sat 22:00	0.22 · good	1.36 · good	30.10 · good	Poor
Sat 23:00	0.22 · good	1.18 · good	30.00 · good	Poor
Sun 00:00	0.22 · good	0.62 · good	30.00 · good	Poor
Sun 01:00	0.22 · good	0.28 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Sun 02:00	0.22 · good	0.25 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Sun 03:00	0.22 · good	0.65 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Sun 04:00	0.22 · good	0.35 · good	29.90 · good	Poor
Sun 05:00	0.22 · good	0.07 · good	29.90 · good	Poor