In Yucatan they say that we have four seasons… two dry seasons and two rainy seasons. But if you look at the average rainfall, almost all the rain comes in the summertime. The beginning of summer (and of hurricane season) brings the big rains… usually, those sweet afternoon tropical thundershowers that provide relief from the build up of heat throughout the earlier part of the day. To my mind, there is nothing more beautiful than the sight of those towering thunderheads on a hot Yucatan afternoon and the downpours that follow are a blessing for people and plants alike.

This year it seems we have had more rain than usual at the beginning of the season… and rain that continues throughout the day. This is a bit unusual but not altogether unwelcome, as in recent years we have had a few summers with less rain than usual. Given the choice, I’ll take more rain over less rain every time. Rain brings out the best in a tropical garden, giving the ground a good soak to prepare it for the next dry season.

According to the weather websites, the most rain falls in Yucatan in September. But June, July and August are full of rain as well. Yucatan is in what they call a tropical desert, because when it gets dry, it gets very dry. And in April and May, and towards the end of the summer, it will get very hot and very dry, providing quite a challenge to many plants in your garden if they are not watered regularly.

Hurricane season isn’t over until November 1, and that’s about when Yucatan experiences a colder rain which is usually associated with nortes, cold north winds that blow the rain down from Texas and across the Yucatan Peninsula. Those rain experiences are not the kind you associate with a tropical environment. They are colder and windier. For rain in October, November or December, you usually need a sweater. Nortes are a part of life here, and are usually numbered by the local press, as in “Here Comes Norte #18!” in the headlines of the daily paper.

But the summer rains are different! Those are warm and full of excitement… and usually over as quickly as they began. Most people come to the Yucatan in the winter months to enjoy the sunshine they cannot get at home in the North. But for my money, summer in the Yucatan is wonderful because of the rains. The gardens are green and growing out of control. The afternoons are hot… all the better for enjoying your swimming pool, the beach or a siesta in your hammock. And the relief brought on by the afternoon summer rains is a tropical experience not to be missed! After all that drama during the day, summer nights in this part of the world are a time to be outside, socialize and enjoy the stars. Come to Yucatan in the summer for the rains and the heat… you won’t be sorry!