Weather in Baja
Much of the weather in the Baja peninsula, especially the southern half, is incredibly wonderful for most of the year. Sunny skies are the norm for much of the peninsula all year long. Late summer hurricanes can have an enormous impact on the entire Baja peninsula, but overall the weather in much of Baja is very, very nice all year long.
In satellite photos of North America, there is one place that usually stands out; the Baja peninsula. The rest of the entire continent can be covered with clouds, but most of the Baja peninsula will usually be seen as cloud-free. The area truly seems blessed geographically, as it lies in between the areas that receive the major weather systems that bring much of the bad weather to North America and to the more southern latitudes.
The northern third of Baja has a climate that is very similar to that of Southern California. Winters are cooler in the north and with the cooler weather comes the rain. Rosarito and Ensenada will often mirror the weather conditions of the beaches in Southern California, including the rain, wind, and foggy conditions. The northern mountain ranges often receive snow in the winter. In the summer, those same mountains (because of the elevation) are where many people go to get relief from the warm summer temperatures.
The weather in the central section of Baja is mostly dependent on which side of the peninsula you are on. The eastern (Sea of Cortez) side is usually sunny and mild while the western (Pacific Ocean) side will usually be much cooler. This area includes the Central Desert which normally receives the least amount of rain of the whole Baja peninsula. It is not uncommon to encounter fog, even in the summer, when driving through the central part of Baja. Guerrero Negro, where the magnificent Gray Whale comes to give birth in the winter, can be very cold and windy be it winter or summer.
The southern third of Baja is usually the warmest, with pleasant temperatures most of the year. Summers here can be rather hot, again, depending on which side of the peninsula you are on. There are places on the eastern side that can get uncomfortably hot, while the Pacific side will usually be somewhat cooler because of the breezes that come from the Pacific Ocean. On the Sea of Cortez side, it is not uncommon to see summer temperatures over the 100-degree mark in Loreto, La Paz, or Mulegé. The East Cape region of the south can also get pretty hot while the southern tip, Cabo San Lucas and Todos Santos, are usually somewhat cooler because of the breezes that come off of the Pacific Ocean.
During the late summer months, the extreme southern portion of the peninsula may feel the effects of passing tropical storms or hurricanes. For the residents of southern Baja, these storms seem to pass by all too often, but in reality, these occurrences are somewhat rare. Most of the tropical storms that form in the Pacific basin usually pass south of the southern tip of the peninsula. The southernmost mountain range, Sierra de la Laguna, usually receives more rain than anywhere else on the entire Baja Peninsula. Ninety-nine percent of the rain received in southern Baja comes during the summer months when large cloud formations form over the mountain range and give the south of Baja its precious water supply.
Hurricanes are very unpredictable forces of nature that can bring rapid changes to the normal weather pattern in southern Baja. Some hurricanes will look as though they are heading directly toward Cabo San Lucas and at the last hour turn and go up into the Sea of Cortez. Sometimes they pass by Cabo San Lucas (sometimes very close or directly over) then jog around the corner at Land’s End and head up the Pacific Coast where the cooler waters usually diminish their strength. Other times, they may turn back across the Baja peninsula and then wreak havoc on locations that would have originally seemed to be out of harm’s way.
That said, the southernmost portion of the peninsula gets most of its rain from August through October, because of the chubascos. This summer rainy season brings the southern part of the peninsula its only humidity and usually turns the desert landscape bright green. Winters in the south are usually very dry. It is not unusual to see beautiful 85-degree temperatures, even on Christmas Day, in the far south of Baja.
Use this link for the current weather conditions at almost any location in Baja.
WEATHER INFO – Current weather conditions in Baja.
When you choose the city for the first time the temperature will show in Celsius.
At the top of the page, you will see a link that says: Edit my Page Preferences.
Click and change the top selection, which is units. Change it to English. You’re ready!
These weather-related links should be helpful, especially when storms are present in Baja.
Great infrared color image of the Eastern Pacific.
Same as above, presented in a two-day loop.
NASA GOES Infrared Weather Satellite Image – Can be animated.
NOAA loop showing the Eastern Pacific & the Baja peninsula.
This satellite image is really good for pinpointing any rain in Baja.
Same as above, but you choose how to animate the image.
Another good color loop of the Eastern Pacific, from NOAA
U.S. National Weather Service National Hurricane Center – Tropical Prediction Center
WINDFINDER.com – Worldwide Wind, Wave, and Weather reports.
Webcam Mexico – Weather cameras in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and the rest of the world. Tide forecasts, wind, and waves.
Cameras Mexico – Live images webcams from beaches of Baja California Sur, Mexico, and the world.
