Los Cabos is a desert destination with sunshine for most of the year, but it sits in the eastern Pacific hurricane belt. If you are looking at villa dates between August and October, the hurricane question is a fair one to ask. This guide explains what each part of the year is actually like, when storm risk is highest, what happens to a villa booking if a storm arrives, and how to choose dates with confidence.
The short answer
- Official season: the eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from 15 May to 30 November.
- Highest risk for Los Cabos: late August through October. Both of the region’s most significant recent landfalls, Odile and Norma, came in September and October.
- Lowest risk: December through April. This is also peak villa season, with dry weather, whale watching and the holidays.
- Cancellation terms are not uniform. Each villa owner sets their own. Some offer a refund, some a credit to reschedule, some neither. We confirm the terms for your villa in writing before you pay.
Los Cabos weather through the year
December to March: peak season
Dry, sunny days and noticeably cooler evenings, especially in January and February. This is the most popular time for villa stays, covering Christmas, New Year, Presidents’ Day and spring break, and humpback whales are in the area for roughly December through April. The Pacific is at its coolest late in this window, so heated pools are worth asking about if your group swims a lot. Holiday weeks book out early. See our guide to Christmas and New Year villa stays.
April to June: warm, dry and settled
Warmer days, very little rain, and calmer conditions than the winter weeks around the holidays. The hurricane season opens on 15 May, but early-season storms rarely affect Los Cabos. For many groups this is the best balance of weather, availability and choice of villa.
July to early August: hot and humid
Summer heat builds and humidity rises. Sea temperatures climb, which suits swimming, snorkelling and time on the water. Storm activity in the eastern Pacific increases through these weeks, so this is the point to start watching forecasts in the run-up to your trip.
Late August to October: peak storm risk
The warmest sea of the year, the most humid air, and most of the region’s annual rainfall, much of it from passing tropical systems. Most seasons pass without a direct hit on Los Cabos. More often, storms track offshore and bring swell, wind and a day or two of heavy rain. But direct landfalls do happen:
- Hurricane Odile made landfall near Cabo San Lucas on 14 September 2014 as a Category 3 hurricane, with sustained winds of around 125 mph. It caused widespread damage and major disruption across the region.
- Hurricane Norma came ashore west-northwest of Cabo San Lucas on 21 October 2023 with sustained winds of around 80 mph (Category 1).
If your dates fall in this window, it can still be a good trip: fewer visitors, warm water, and more villa availability. Just book it knowing the terms, and with the right insurance in place.
November: the season winds down
The season officially ends on 30 November, and conditions usually settle through the month. November is when villa demand starts to build again ahead of the holidays.
What happens to a villa booking if a hurricane is forecast
There is no single hurricane policy across Los Cabos villas. Each property is owned independently, and each owner sets their own cancellation terms. In practice, what you’ll come across falls into three groups:
- Refund: some owners refund all or part of the stay if a hurricane prevents travel or forces an evacuation.
- Credit to reschedule: some owners keep your payment as a credit toward new dates instead of refunding it.
- Standard terms only: others apply their normal cancellation policy, with no storm exception.
Whichever applies, it is written into your rental agreement before you pay anything. If you are booking between August and October, ask us to shortlist villas whose owners offer a refund or a rescheduling credit for storm disruption. It is a perfectly reasonable thing to ask, and it narrows the options in a useful way.
Travel insurance: buy it when you book
For hurricane-season dates, travel insurance that covers named storms is worth having alongside the villa’s own terms. Many policies will not cover a storm that has already been named when you buy the cover, so take it out when you book rather than when a storm appears on the forecast. Read the hurricane wording in the policy before you buy it.
Questions to ask before booking in storm season
- What exactly happens to my payment if a hurricane warning is issued for my dates?
- Is that a refund, a credit, or neither, and how long is any credit valid?
- Does the villa have backup power?
- Who on the ground is our contact if a storm approaches during the stay?
We get these answers from the owner and put them in writing for you.
Where to follow official forecasts
- National Hurricane Center, eastern Pacific outlook: the most widely used source for storm tracks and advisories.
- Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (Mexico): Mexico’s official weather service, which issues the local watches and warnings.
Forecasts become reliable only a few days out, so a storm on the map two weeks before your trip is not, by itself, a reason to cancel.
Villas for the low-risk months
December to April is when most groups book, and the larger estates go first. A few to look at:
- Casa Hidalgo: 12 bedrooms, sleeps up to 32, a beachfront estate on the Corridor with full staff.
- Villa Palma & Villa Mareas: two neighbouring beachfront houses in Cabo Bello, 10 bedrooms, sleeps up to 24.
- Villa Nazar & Villa Persia: a two-home estate in Pedregal, 9 bedrooms, sleeps up to 22.
- Casa Kokomo: 5 bedrooms, sleeps up to 16, with ocean and golf views in Fundadores, Puerto Los Cabos.
- Villa Esperanza: 6 bedrooms, sleeps up to 14, ocean views in Palmilla.
- Villa Mar Azul: 6 bedrooms, sleeps up to 12, ocean views in Palmilla.
For bigger groups, see all Los Cabos villas for large groups. If you are still deciding on an area, start with where to stay in Los Cabos.
Frequently asked questions
When is hurricane season in Los Cabos?
The eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from 15 May to 30 November. For Los Cabos, the highest-risk period is late August through October.
What is the best month to visit Los Cabos to avoid hurricanes?
December through April falls outside the hurricane season entirely, and April to June is usually settled too. These months also tend to have the driest weather of the year.
How often do hurricanes hit Los Cabos?
Most seasons pass without a direct hit. Storms more often pass offshore and bring swell, wind and rain. Direct landfalls do happen, though: Hurricane Odile in September 2014 and Hurricane Norma in October 2023 both came ashore near Cabo San Lucas.
Will I get a refund if a hurricane affects my villa stay?
It depends on the villa. Each owner sets their own terms: some refund, some offer a credit to reschedule, and some apply standard cancellation terms. We confirm the terms for your villa in writing before you pay, and we recommend travel insurance that covers named storms.
Is it worth booking a villa in September or October?
It can be, for flexible travellers: the sea is warm, the area is quieter and there is more choice of villa. Book a villa whose owner offers a refund or rescheduling credit for storm disruption, and buy travel insurance when you book.
Plan your dates with us
Tell us your dates, your group size and how flexible you are. We’ll come back with villas that fit, along with each owner’s cancellation and storm terms in writing, so you know exactly where you stand before you commit.