Mexico City In August: Weather & Travel Tips

The weather in Mexico City in August is a fickle thing. One minute, you can be walking down the street, contentedly licking an ice cream. The next, you can be ducking into a doorway to escape a sudden shower. This changeable climate can make deciding what to do in Mexico City in August a bit confounding for first-timers, but we’re here to make life a little easier for you! 

It’s been a few years now since we decided to spend part of every year in CDMX, exploring what the buzzing metropolis has to offer across spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Although August isn’t what you’d call the buzziest time to visit, it’s still got plenty to offer the adventurous tourist who doesn’t mind travelling out of season.

In this post, we’re going to talk about what you can expect from Mexico City weather in August, including the temperature, rainfall, and humidity. We’ve also picked out the top 3 things to do in the capital at this time of year, as well as put together a checklist of the must-haves for your suitcase.

Is It Worth Visiting Mexico City In August? Our Opinion

It’s fair to say that August isn’t the most popular time of year to visit Mexico City. In a way, that’s why we think it’s one of the most underrated months for making the trip. 

The very fact that people aren’t flocking to CDMX in droves during the summer is what we enjoy most about the season. You essentially get to visit the grandiose Metropolitan Cathedral, the picturesque neighbourhood of Coyoacan, and the ancient Aztec city of Teotihuacan without the usual crowds.

Just to be clear, we’re not saying that it will be like walking through a ghost town. The capital thrums never sleep, and all the major markets, museums, and landmarks will still be open. We just mean it’s noticeable that the city isn’t quite as congested or busy as at other times of the year.

Admittedly, the weather isn’t as nice as we’ve experienced in March or April. Those months are pretty much the perfect time to hit Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Forest) for a scenic stroll or to chill out in a rooftop pool, margarita in hand.

However, it’s worth pointing out that August isn’t as wet as July or September. If you’re going to visit CDMX during the rainy season, August is probably the best time to do so.

Pros & Cons Of Visiting Mexico City In August

No matter what month you visit Mexico City, there are some positives and some negatives to consider. Here’s our take on the top arguments for visiting during August – as well as some reasons you might want to avoid the capital at this time of year.

Pros Of Visiting CDMX In August:

✅ It’s one of the quieter times of the year. Tourists are in abeyance in August, while many of the locals spend the month enjoying their summer holidays elsewhere. The result is that CDMX is at its least crowded at the tail-end of summer.

✅ Take advantage of budget breaks. The fact that there aren’t as many people visiting in August also has a positive effect on prices. Hotels and apartment rentals are noticeably cheaper, while airfare can also be more affordable (depending on where you’re flying from). Just to illustrate that point, you can stay at the Ritz-Carlton right in the heart of town for almost half the price if you come in August compared to May. How’s that for a bargain?

✅ There’s less pollution. Although Mexico City’s air quality isn’t as bad as it used to be, it can still get noticeably grey in the warmer, dryer months of spring. We’re no scientists, so we can’t explain why, but the regular rainfall of summer seems to brighten up the sky and reduce particulate matter in the air.  

Cons Of Visiting CDMX In August:

⚠️ It rains almost every day. The reason a lot of people don’t like visiting CDMX (and Mexico in general) during the summer is that it’s hurricane season. You don’t need to worry about serious storms in the capital, but it is guaranteed to be wet.

⚠️ You’re hot, then you’re cold. Although the temperature is fairly mild during the day, it’s cold in the morning and cold in the evenings. It’s not the end of the world, but it does mean dressing in layers and having to carry around extra clothing if you’re out for the whole day.

⚠️ Not so much happening. One of the things that we love most about Mexico City is its vibrant festivals, from Cinco de Mayo to Dia de los Muertos. The Mexico City weather August has to offer, however, doesn’t inspire much in the way of big cultural fiestas.

Mexico City Weather In August

For some travellers, it’s important to know the stats before they make an informed decision about going on holiday. If you’re one of those people, we’ve rounded up the key temperature, rainfall, and humidity figures.

☀️ Temperature

The Mexico City temperature in August has average highs of 25 degrees Celsius (about 77 degrees Fahrenheit), which is a nice mild climate for walking about in linen trousers and a T-shirt. 

However, don’t forget that CDMX has a relatively high altitude, which means it can get chilly, even in the height of summer. This shouldn’t be an issue during the day, but it certainly has an effect in the early mornings, late afternoons, and evenings. For reference, the city’s average lows plummet to a decidedly brisk 12 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit).

On our first August in Mexico City, we made the mistake of stepping out in shorts for an evening drink. We didn’t last long at the stylish but exposed rooftop bar of the CondesaDF before the goosebumps sent us scurrying back to our accommodation!

☔ Rainfall

August isn’t the wettest time to visit Mexico City, but it’s close! Officially, the average amount of rain in millimetres clocks up to 40 millimetres (about 1.7 inches). What does that mean in real terms? Expect to see at least some rain around two-thirds of the month.

Now, it’s only fair for us to add the caveat that since we started living in CDMX part-time, we’ve experienced some years that have been drier than others. You might get lucky and escape with just a couple of showers a week. 

Still, we’d recommend planning for plenty of rainfall when you do your packing. It’s usually wetter towards later afternoon/evening, so maybe plan your indoor activities for that time of day.

🥵 Humidity 

Humidity is at its highest in August, which contributes to making the city feel slightly warmer during the day and slightly colder during the night. 

Expect around 69% humidity, which sounds high, but as we’ve already mentioned, CDMX has mild temps, so you shouldn’t notice it too much. It absolutely does not compare to how hot it was when we were melting on the Yucatan Peninsula!

3 Best Things To Do In Mexico City In August

We’ve written about a ton of awesome things to do in CDMX elsewhere on this site, but here’s just a little taster trio to whet your appetite. These activities are great at any time of year but work especially well for an August itinerary when you want a mix of indoor and outdoor stuff.

📍 Mexican Cooking Class

One of the best things about Mexico is obviously the food! It’s delicious and more-ish, and we can’t get enough of it. On the other hand, who wants to eat out at a restaurant every day?

That reasoning is what initially encouraged us to explore beyond our go-to street food tours, which we try wherever we travel, and make an effort actually to get in the kitchen ourselves. Over our past few years living in the capital, we’ve participated in quite a few different Mexican cooking classes, and we can guarantee it’s a worthwhile investment for anybody who loves the cuisine as much as we do.

Plus, it means that we can always whip up traditional guacamole wherever we are in the world—well, anywhere they have avocados!

Unsurprisingly, for a country that prides itself on its gastronomy, there are quite a few good culinary masterclasses in CDMX. We’ve been on ones that focus specifically on one type of food, such as salsas, tacos, or moles, but the best ones (in our opinion) take you on a journey through multiple courses. It might mean less of a deep dive into one type of dish, but you get a greater breadth of knowledge.

Whatever your foodie focus, our top tip is picking a cooking class that includes a market tour. We learned so much about ingredients and what to look for on our guided trip through the various food stalls. This kind of first-hand knowledge made it much easier to recreate the flavours.

📍 Lucha Libre Show

Food is one key touchstone of Mexican culture. Another is lucha libre, the nation’s signature wrestling style. 

What’s it all about? Essentially, muscular men (and more rarely women) put on sequined costumes and toss each other around a ring. It’s athletic, performative, completely fake, and very entertaining, especially because the crowd is so high-energy.

The masks (mascaras), worn to conceal the identities of the wrestlers, are a particularly unique feature of the outfits and make for a good souvenir that comes with a story. You can buy them inside the stadium or from the street vendors outside. We’ve also seen them sold in places like the Mercado de Artesanías La Ciudadela.

There are a few different places to get your lucha libre fix, but for the quintessential experience, head to the Arena Mexico, informally known as the ”cathedral of lucha libre.” It’s possible to buy your own tickets and make the trip yourself, which is what we did the first time we visited CDMX. Honestly, though, we wouldn’t recommend it. Even though Mal speaks Spanish, the process was a bit too chaotic for comfort.

Bite the bullet and go on a tour. We enjoyed this option much more, not only because it meant you could essentially pass on the responsibility of organising everything to someone else, but we also really appreciated having a guide who could explain some of the nuances of the pageantry. Plus, most of these tours include a trip to a local cantina for some drinks and eats!

📍 Chapultepec Castle & Anthropology Museum

There’s a lot to explore in the expansive parkland of Chapultepec Forest, enough to while away a whole day. If you only have time to do two things, however, we wholeheartedly recommend the Chapultepec Castle and the Anthropology Museum. 

Let’s start with the castle, which offers one of the best views in CDMX from its distinctive, very photogenic checkerboard terrace. The building was constructed towards the end of the 18th century for a former Viceroy of New Spain, who wanted a residence at the highest point on Chapultepec Hill so that he could gaze down upon the city below. These days, you’ll also find yourself gazing up at the glittering skyscrapers in the distance.

You can wander through several rooms that have retained their original splendour and have been staged with period furniture. The dining room is particularly ornate with its elaborately carved wood furnishings – don’t forget to look up at the ceiling!

While Chapultepec Castle is a monument to the colonial history of Mexico, the National Museum of Anthropology is a tribute to the pre-Columbian past. Around 600,000 pieces of Mesoamerican statuary, jewellery, masks, and more are stored inside, covering thousands of years of culture.

There are a lot of fascinating and beautiful things to see here, including the giant Olmec heads and the Zapotec jade mask. All the big names are present, from the Mayans to the Aztecs, complete with reconstructions of temples and tombs.

Try to ensure your visit coincides with a free tour. We found this really informative, and it gave us a lot of information about the way the different indigenous peoples lived that wasn’t on the plaques.

What To Wear In Mexico City In August

The temperature in Mexico City in August can be quite changeable, so make sure you pack a good variety of clothing. Here are the essentials:

✅ Sleeveless tops, thin trousers, and summer dresses. During the day, you’ll want something breathable to offset the humid warmth. August isn’t the most sweltering time of the year, but roaming the streets will get you hot enough to (probably) regret squeezing into that pair of skintight jeans.

✅ Jumpers, jackets, and long trousers. Didn’t they just tell us to wear lighter clothing? Yes, we did – during the day! During the late afternoon and evening, the temperature can drop dramatically, so it’s a good idea to have some warmer bits and bobs if you plan to go for a margarita or two at the local cantina. 

✅ Rain poncho. Ideally, try and find some kind of waterproof outerwear that you can just slip on over your outfit without too much fuss. The smaller, the better, so that it fits in a rucksack. Alternatively, pack a small umbrella. Remember that it will inevitably rain on you at some point if you visit CDMX in August, so be prepared!

✅ Bum bag. Like MasterCard, we never leave home without it. Bum bags may not have been the height of fashion since the ‘90s, but they are handy for storing money and other valuables, especially in touristy areas where pickpockets ply their trade.

Events In Mexico City In August

There are some very colourful events that take place in Mexico in August, such as the Mariachi Festival in Guadalajara and the Moors of Bracho performances in Zacatecas.

CDMX doesn’t have anything quite so culturally fascinating. That being said, the capital isn’t completely devoid of events that are worth checking out.

TagCDMX 

Latin America’s largest festival dedicated to technology and creativity, the TagCDMX festival is a two-day affair that covers a whole bunch of different genres, including music concerts, art installations, film screenings, and more.

They’ve attracted some very high-profile speakers in the past, including movie director Spike Lee, Israeli author Etgar Keret, and former NSA intelligence consultant and whistleblower Edward Snowden. 

Spread over venues across the city, tickets are sold for individual events, so you can pick and choose what piques your fancy.

Mexico City Marathon

Usually taking place in the last week of August, the annual Mexico City Marathon is the metropolis’ most famous long-distance running event. 

For fitness buffs, the 42-kilometre (26-mile) race is an opportunity to test your stamina along a route that could almost double as a tourist trail. The track takes in some of the city’s most noteworthy neighbourhoods, including Chapultepec Forest, Polanco, and Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, before ending up in the Historic Centre. 

If you don’t fancy participating personally, you can still head on down to cheer along the runners and drink in the buzzy atmosphere of the occasion.

Chiles en Nogada Festival

Chiles en nogada is a seasonal speciality involving poblano chiles stuffed with meat, fruit, and nuts, then drizzled with walnut sauce and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. Some say this delicious dish is a celebration of Mexican independence, with the green of the chillies, the white of the sauce, and the red(ish) colour of the pomegranate meant to represent the Mexican flag.

Strictly speaking, this festival is centred on Puebla, where chiles en nogada originated. During August, the dish proliferates throughout the city, which is a very easy day trip from CDMX. Just hop on a bus for 90 minutes or rent a car for the day.

Puebla is a beautiful place to see while you’re in Mexico, but if you want to stick to the capital, you’ll find many restaurants serving chiles en nogada up as well. We found out about it last year because the local government actually put together a map of the various places in CDMX where you could try the dish. Hopefully, they’ll do the same this year!

🌧️ When Is It Rainy Season In Mexico City?

Core rainy season in Mexico City runs from June to September, with a little bit of spillover into late May and early October. August tends to see around 19 wet days on average, but the total rain that falls in those days is much less than in July and September.

What To Do In Mexico City When It Rains?

Mexico City in August weather is a great opportunity to visit the city’s excellent museums and rooftop bars. Aside from the National Anthropology Museum, there are also some wonderful places to view art, including the Frida Kahlo Museum, the Soumaya Museum, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes, which houses one of Diego Rivera’s most famous murals.

What Is The Best Time To Visit Mexico City?

The end of October/beginning of November is a great time to visit the capital because it’s when one of Mexico’s most famous festival, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), takes place. The city really comes alive with the excitement of the occasion, which includes a multitude of celebrations. Alternatively, come in the heat of March to see the jacaranda trees bloom with their bright purple flowers.

What Is The Worst Time To Visit CDMX?

September is arguably the worst time to visit because the rainfall is at its heaviest. We’re talking 90 millimetres of rain over the course of 22 days. That means on average you can expect to get just 8 days without showers. On the other hand, September is also probably the cheapest time to visit the city, so maybe it’s not so bad after all!

Mexico City In August: The Wrap-Up

So, have we convinced you to give August in Mexico City a go? It may not showcase the very best of CDMX weather, but it’s a month that has plenty of positives, from smaller crowds to cheaper prices. You’ll find there’s still enough sunshine for you to explore the parks, open-air markets, and flavourful neighbourhoods, before retreating rapidly inside a museum before the afternoon rains strike!