You are probably asking, "What is a Norte"? A norte is a cold front, "frentes frio", that enters Mexico during the Fall, Winter, or Spring. The official norte season is September 20 through May 15. Nortes bring cooler temperatures, slightly drier air, and sometimes rain showers to the Riviera Maya. Temperatures at night can get down to near 50 F (10 C) during a strong norte; though normally it only drops temperatures at night into the 60s F (about 15-20 C). Daytime temperature may only be in the 70s F (about 21-26 C) during a norte. Nortes normally only last a day or two in the Riviera Maya thanks to the warm waters that surround us in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Nortes occur most frequently from November to March. The early and late season nortes usually only affect northern Mexico. The warm Gulf of Mexico helps protect the Riviera Maya from any extreme effects of nortes (like freezing temperatures and snow that more northern and mountainous parts of Mexico receive).
