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Temps will be around 81...There is always a possibility of a Norte which can close down the port, but some operators will go to the other side of the island when a Norte hits...We have gone the past 4 Decembers and last year was the first time we lost a few diving days due to Norte.I have never been to CZM during December and am thinking about it this year.....any infomration on weather/water temps compared to other times of year?
I have never been to CZM during December and am thinking about it this year.....any infomration on weather/water temps compared to other times of year?
We've been going in December for 7 years or so now for 2 to 2-1/2 week stays. I think every December trip we've lost dive days due to port closures caused by Nortes (some can close the port for 3-4 days at a time). I also can assure you that the dive industry as a whole does not like to admit the frequency or the duration of Nortes... They say they are "rare" and can "occasionally" close the port for "a day or 2" when they hit but they are not rare and they can close the port for more than a day or 2. I've seen people fly in for a Sun - Sat trip and get blown out 4 days in a row due to a long Norte. That's not the norm but it does happen and it's just the way it is November through February or something which is why we tend to go for 2+ weeks and generally fly home right around Xmas. Historically we've booked every day for diving so we would be confident we would get plenty of diving in given the Nortes that have always given us breaks from diving due to port closures.
The water is usually around 81 but the big difference is the air temps as December is the coldest month with an average daily high of 82 and the humidity is much lower so I can get chilled easily between the water and colder SI's when diving in the AM. I fixed that with a full 5MM suit and tropic beanie. However, there are always a few who have antifreeze for blood and will dive in just their swim suit in December (Canadians and Alaskans for example). I'll also note that the high daily air temp of 82 is only an average, you can have a windy week in the upper 70's with low humidity and be freezing during SI's or a week in the upper 80's and higher humidity depending on what the weather systems are doing. Overall, we personally like December because it is starting to get cold in Virginia in mid December and 2 weeks in Coz is kind of like a last 2 weeks of Indian summer for us.