Climate and Environment
June 4, 2023

Warm and Agreeable Spring Climates in Mexico

Springtime in Mexico begins on or around March 21st each year, but by late February, the first signs of spring can be seen and felt across the country

by Mexperience
Spring flowers in a garden

Springtime in Mexico begins on or around March 21st each year, although by late February changes in the climate cycle can be seen and felt across the country as winter passes, daylight lengthens, and temperatures rise.

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:

Mexico in your inbox

Our free newsletter about Mexico brings you a monthly round-up of recently published stories and opportunities, as well as gems from our archives.