SnorkelForecast.com

Playa del Carmen Snorkel Report Today

Mexico · Updated Thu 06:57 (EST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Go in the best window Data updated Thu 06:57 (EST)

Playa del Carmen has a usable snorkeling window around Thu 08:00. The main thing to watch is waves.

Right now (forecast)

Good · 5.8/10

Thu 07:00 (EST)

Later today

Good · 6.1/10

Thu 18:00 (EST)

Next three days

Excellent · 7.3/10

Sat 08:00 (EST)

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

Score: 6.1/10

Best time: Thu 08:00

Main risk: Waves

Best morning signal: Thu 08:00 (Good).

Best afternoon signal: Thu 18:00 (Good). Peak afternoon wind is about 3.3 m/s.

Later today looks usable around Thu 08:00. Check boat availability.

Email me when it is good Compare nearby spots Check boat availability

Best nearby spots later today

Akumal 4.7/10 Fair · Thu 18:00

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

AccessPlaya del Carmen is the ferry gateway to Cozumel and a base for Akumal. Open those forecasts; shore snorkeling in town is more limited.

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

06:36

Sunset

18:49

Water

29.9°C

Max air

30.5°C

Sky

Partly cloudy

40% cloud

Good model window in the next 72 hours

Next good model window: Thu 08:00 (40% of the next 72h meets the model threshold)

3-day planner Best available Show data

3-day planner

Thursday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Waves

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 08:00.

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

  • Tide/current (70 hours)
  • Darkness (35 hours)
  • Waves (19 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

Thu 17:00, Fri 17:00

Bookable snorkel tours near Playa del Carmen

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

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

Turtle observation

Half-Day Sea Turtle and Cenote Snorkeling Tour from Cancun & Riviera Maya

4.8/5 2642 reviews 5h
From USD 99.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Tulum, Reef Snorkeling, Cenote & Mayan Ceremony

Tulum, Reef Snorkeling, Cenote & Mayan Ceremony

4.8/5 4339 reviews 8h
From USD 129.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Group of friends snorkeling with turtles in the crystal-clear reef waters of the Riviera Maya in the Mexican Caribbean.

Hidden Cenote Swim: Snorkeling, Sea Turtles and Beachside Lunch

4.8/5 1395 reviews 4h 30m
From USD 119.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Girl resting on a paddleboard in the incredible crystal-clear waters of the Riviera Maya in the Mexican Caribbean.

Riviera Maya Luxury Snorkeling Cruise with Lunch and Drinks

4.7/5 664 reviews 4h
From USD 89.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Group swimming in a cenote while admiring the spectacular views of the rock formations and pristine waters in the Riviera Maya.

Tulum Guided Tour, Magical Cenote, Lagoon Snorkeling and Beachside Lunch

4.9/5 1972 reviews 6h 30m
From USD 119.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Have fun in the Catamaran

Catamaran to Isla Mujeres with Snorkel, Open Bar & Beach Club

3.9/5 14 reviews 8h
From USD 59.00 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Nearby snorkel spot map

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

Akumal Fair · Thu 18:00 4.7/10

Forecast spot map

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

Akumal
  1. Akumal

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

Nearby alternatives in Mexico

Chankanaab

23 km away

✅ Good

Cozumel

28 km away

✅ Good

Palancar Reef

31 km away

✅ Good

Puerto Morelos

32 km away

✅ Good

Advanced forecast data

Viewing historical data

Wed 07:00 – Sat 07:00 (EST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.61 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.

1/24 sampled hours stay at or below 0.36m (range 0.36m to 0.46m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 24/24 sampled hours (range 1.95 to 3.31m/s).

Tides range from -0.04m to 0.1m; 1 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical overview
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Poor ❌ Limited
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
Thu 04:00 0.46 · high 1.98 · good 29.90 · good Poor
Thu 05:00 0.46 · high 2.30 · good 29.90 · good Poor
Thu 06:00 0.44 · high 2.48 · good 29.90 · good Poor
Thu 07:00 0.44 · high 2.62 · good 29.90 · good Good
Thu 08:00 0.44 · high 2.76 · good 29.90 · good Good
Thu 09:00 0.42 · high 2.55 · good 30.00 · good Fair
Thu 10:00 0.42 · high 3.20 · good 30.10 · good Fair
Thu 11:00 0.44 · high 2.50 · good 30.10 · good Fair
Thu 12:00 0.44 · high 2.02 · good 30.20 · good Fair
Thu 13:00 0.46 · high 1.95 · good 30.20 · good Fair
Thu 14:00 0.44 · high 2.55 · good 30.20 · good Fair
Thu 15:00 0.44 · high 3.15 · good 30.20 · good Fair
Thu 16:00 0.42 · high 3.31 · good 30.20 · good Good
Thu 17:00 0.42 · high 3.25 · good 30.20 · good Good
Thu 18:00 0.40 · high 3.28 · good 30.20 · good Good
Thu 19:00 0.40 · high 2.62 · good 30.10 · good Poor
Thu 20:00 0.40 · high 2.59 · good 30.10 · good Poor
Thu 21:00 0.38 · high 2.48 · good 30.10 · good Poor
Thu 22:00 0.38 · high 2.33 · good 30.00 · good Poor
Thu 23:00 0.38 · high 2.88 · good 30.00 · good Poor
Fri 00:00 0.38 · high 2.58 · good 30.00 · good Poor
Fri 01:00 0.38 · high 2.02 · good 29.90 · good Poor
Fri 02:00 0.38 · high 2.09 · good 29.90 · good Poor
Fri 03:00 0.36 · good 2.02 · good 29.90 · good Poor
Fri 04:00 0.36 · good 1.42 · good 29.80 · good Poor
Fri 05:00 0.36 · good 0.86 · good 29.80 · good Poor
Fri 06:00 0.34 · good 1.00 · good 29.80 · good Poor
Fri 07:00 0.34 · good 1.75 · good 29.90 · good Good
Fri 08:00 0.34 · good 1.91 · good 30.00 · good Good
Fri 09:00 0.32 · good 1.60 · good 30.10 · good Good
Fri 10:00 0.32 · good 2.32 · good 30.20 · good Good
Fri 11:00 0.32 · good 3.05 · good 30.40 · good Good
Fri 12:00 0.32 · good 3.22 · good 30.50 · out of range Good
Fri 13:00 0.32 · good 3.91 · good 30.50 · out of range Good
Fri 14:00 0.32 · good 3.61 · good 30.50 · out of range Good
Fri 15:00 0.30 · good 4.66 · good 30.40 · good Good
Fri 16:00 0.30 · good 2.88 · good 30.30 · good Good
Fri 17:00 0.30 · good 2.47 · good 30.20 · good Good
Fri 18:00 0.30 · good 2.46 · good 30.10 · good Good
Fri 19:00 0.30 · good 2.13 · good 30.10 · good Poor
Fri 20:00 0.30 · good 2.28 · good 30.00 · good Poor
Fri 21:00 0.30 · good 2.27 · good 30.00 · good Poor
Fri 22:00 0.30 · good 2.15 · good 30.00 · good Poor
Fri 23:00 0.30 · good 2.29 · good 30.00 · good Poor
Sat 00:00 0.30 · good 1.10 · good 30.00 · good Poor
Sat 01:00 0.30 · good 1.04 · good 30.00 · good Poor
Sat 02:00 0.30 · good 0.94 · good 30.00 · good Poor
Sat 03:00 0.30 · good 1.17 · good 29.90 · good Poor
Sat 04:00 0.30 · good 1.46 · good 29.90 · good Poor
Sat 05:00 0.30 · good 1.69 · good 29.90 · good Poor
Sat 06:00 0.30 · good 1.52 · good 29.90 · good Poor