Seasonal· Cozumel· Mexico
Northers and Cozumel West-Coast Exposure
20° 30.9′ N · 86° 57.4′ W · approximate
Winter cold fronts ('nortes') swing the wind into the north and northwest, turning Cozumel's sheltered lee into a lee shore and making every west-coast anchorage untenable.
Practical
Coordinate is the San Miguel roadstead (approximate) for map placement. Noonsite: in winter the anchorage anywhere along the west coast can become untenable when northern fronts bring strong winds and seas. Xcalak's climate notes say nortes come in autumn and winter (Spanish Wikipedia). A 2009 cruiser approaching Cozumel at dusk saw a line of cloud, the wind backed north and rose to 20+ knots with rain, and they diverted overnight to Puerto Morelos (Noonsite report). Watch for the front's approach (clouds lining up to the NW, falling pressure), and relocate before it arrives: Puerto Aventuras marina is the nearest all-weather refuge on this stretch, and its protection is good enough that the Cozumel ferries shelter there in bad weather (Wikivoyage).
Best for
Planning a winter visit to Cozumel
Season
Roughly Oct-Apr (autumn and winter fronts)
Nearby
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).