Hurricane Season in La Paz: What the Alerts Mean, How to Prepare, and When to Visit
Hurricane season in La Paz runs from May 15 to November 30, the official Eastern Pacific season. Most storms that reach the Baja California peninsula arrive in September, they become less frequent through October, and none on record has reached the peninsula in November. If you're planning a trip for late November through May, you're booking La Paz's best weather, in the middle of whale shark season. For temperatures, rain and sea temperatures, see La Paz climate and hurricane season by month. Here's what to know whether you're visiting, living here, or keeping a boat in the bay.
When Is Hurricane Season in La Paz?
The Eastern Pacific season officially runs May 15 to November 30, as set by the US National Hurricane Center. Activity across the whole basin peaks in late August, but for the Baja California peninsula, September is the month to watch. The record of storms that have affected the peninsula shows the pattern clearly:
3
June
10
July
19
August
56
September
22
October
0
November
Recorded tropical storms and hurricanes affecting the Baja California peninsula, by month. Source: NHC records compiled in Wikipedia's list of Baja California Peninsula hurricanes.
That's a historical pattern, not a guarantee: a quiet September or a late October storm can happen in any year. The climate guide has the month-by-month weather, and the 2026 season officially ends on November 30.
How Often Do Hurricanes Hit La Paz?
Most seasons, the storms that form off mainland Mexico pass well out to sea or weaken over the cooler Pacific before reaching La Paz, which sits on the sheltered Gulf of California side of the peninsula. But the city has had real storms, and these are the ones people here still talk about.
Hurricane Liza
October 1, 1976
Torrential rain filled the El Cajoncito arroyo above the city until the dike holding it back gave way, flooding low-lying neighborhoods on the edge of La Paz. Hundreds of people died; counts vary widely between sources. It's the deadliest storm in the city's history and the reason locals take arroyos seriously.
Hurricane Odile
September 15, 2014
Came ashore near Cabo San Lucas as a Category 3. About 92% of Baja California Sur lost power, and 95% was restored within nine days. All flights at the La Paz and Los Cabos airports were cancelled on September 15, and La Paz airport was back to normal within a week. In La Paz harbor, 22 boats were damaged.
Hurricane Norma
October 21, 2023
Came ashore in southern Baja California Sur as a Category 1. In La Paz, streets flooded, the airport shut, three boats sank, and the port closed with about 400 passengers still aboard a ferry. No deaths were reported.
Hurricane Polo
September 29, 2026
Came ashore as a Category 2 near Las Barrancas, on the Pacific coast of Comondú, then crossed the peninsula to the Gulf. The state reported rain, fallen trees and power outages in the north of BCS, but no loss of life.
Our history of La Paz covers how the city rebuilt after Odile.
Mexico's Hurricane Alert Colors, Explained
When a storm heads for the coast, Mexico's civil protection system issues color-coded alerts through the Sistema de Alerta Temprana para Ciclones Tropicales (SIAT-CT). You'll hear the colors on local radio, see them on the news, and get them from your hotel or marina. As a storm approaches, the levels are:
| Alert | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| BlueAvisoMore than 72 hours away · Minimal | A storm is being tracked. Watch official updates. |
| GreenPrevenciónAbout 72 to 24 hours · Low | Check water, food, fuel, cash and documents. Shop now, before the lines. |
| YellowPreparaciónAbout 60 to 12 hours · Moderate | Secure your home and anything that can blow away. Know your nearest shelter. Boats: double lines or haul out. |
| OrangeAlarmaAbout 36 to 6 hours · High | Risk zones are evacuated and temporary shelters open. Follow Civil Protection instructions. |
| RedAfectaciónImpact imminent or under way · Maximum | Stay sheltered. Outdoor activity is restricted until the alert is lowered. |
The time ranges overlap on purpose: the authorities set the level by the storm's strength and distance as well as its expected arrival, so a strong storm can go to yellow or orange sooner. Once a storm passes, the alerts step back down through the same colors while recovery begins. The practical rule: shop and prepare at green, because by orange the stores are crowded and the shelves are thin.
Where to Get Reliable Storm Updates
- National Hurricane Center (nhc.noaa.gov): Eastern Pacific advisories, forecast tracks and cones, in English.
- Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (smn.conagua.gob.mx): Mexico's official forecasts and the current alert colors, in Spanish.
- Protección Civil BCS: 612-124-3765, Monday to Friday 8 AM to 3 PM; after hours, call 911.
- Protección Civil Municipal La Paz: the city's civil protection office posts storm updates on its Facebook page (facebook.com/cmpclap), and the Ayuntamiento publishes the shelter list, with each shelter marked open, on standby or closed, on the App La Paz.
- US and Canadian citizens: register your trip with STEP (step.state.gov) or Registration of Canadians Abroad, so your consulate can reach you.
Save the numbers before you need them: our full list of La Paz emergency numbers has 911, Civil Protection, the Navy and the hospitals in one place.
How to Prepare Before a Storm
If you're visiting
- Book refundable or flexible rates for trips between August and October.
- Buy travel insurance when you book. Most policies won't cover a storm that was already named when you bought it.
- Ask your hotel about its storm plan. Hotels and tour operators here deal with storms every year and cancel boat trips when the port closes.
- Carry a copy of your passport and your FMM tourist permit, on paper as well as on your phone.
If you live here
- Store drinking water. La Paz tap water isn't drinkable anyway, and the city water service from SAPA can stop after a storm. Keep several garrafones on hand and fill your tinaco.
- Keep three or more days of supplies: food that needs no cooking, flashlights, batteries, a power bank, a battery radio and a first-aid kit with any prescription medicines.
- Keep cash in pesos. When the power goes, so do ATMs and card terminals, and after Odile most of the state was without power for days.
- Fill the car and the gas tank. Top up fuel and your LP gas before the alerts rise; deliveries stop during a storm.
- Secure anything that can fly: patio furniture, palapa fronds, plant pots, loose roof sheets. Clear the drains and gutters.
- Know your arroyos. Find out whether your home or your route crosses an arroyo, and stay out of them during and after heavy rain. A dry arroyo can flood in minutes.
- Stock up early. Walmart and Sam's Club for water and food, The Home Depot for tarps, rope, batteries and plywood. Our grocery shopping guide covers the rest.
If you have a boat
- Agree a haul-out or storm-mooring plan with your marina before the season starts, not when the storm is named. Our marinas directory lists every marina in La Paz.
- Strip canvas, biminis and roller-furling sails, and double your dock lines and chafe gear.
- Monitor VHF 16, where the Capitanía de Puerto broadcasts port closures, and the morning cruisers' net on VHF 22 run by Club Cruceros de La Paz.
- Don't ride it out at anchor in the bay. During Odile, more than twenty boats broke loose from the anchorage off town and were driven ashore on the Mogote; Norma sank three more in 2023.
During and After a Storm
- Stay indoors, away from windows. If the wind suddenly drops, the eye may be passing over: the other side of the storm is still coming.
- Report power outages and downed lines to CFE at 071. Never touch a fallen cable.
- Boil or treat water until SAPA confirms the supply is safe.
- Expect closed roads at arroyo crossings, and never drive into running water.
- Expect the port, ferries and flights to stop for a day or more: the port closes before a storm arrives, and Baja Ferries and La Paz airport reopen once it's safe. Check with your airline or ferry directly.
- Want to help afterward? The local groups in our nonprofits directory, from community foundations to animal rescues, are usually the first to organize.
Is It Safe to Visit La Paz in October or November?
The honest answer: October can still bring storms (it's the second-busiest month on the peninsula's record, and Norma hit in late October 2023), but the risk falls through the month. November is the safest month of the season: no storm on record has reached the peninsula in November. Either way, check the National Hurricane Center five to seven days before you travel, and book flexible rates.
And there's a lot to come for once the season winds down:
- Whale sharks. The season runs October 1 to May 31, with the most reliable encounters from December. See our whale shark guide and when to see whale sharks.
- Sea lions. Swimming with the sea lions at Los Islotes is open September through May. See swimming with sea lions.
- The weather. November is one of the best months of the year: warm water, comfortable air and low humidity, per our climate guide.
- The beaches and islands. Balandra and Espíritu Santo are at their best once the summer heat breaks.
Planning a fall or winter trip? Tell us what you'd like to do and plan your trip with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it hurricane season in La Paz right now?
Hurricane season in La Paz runs every year from May 15 to November 30, the official Eastern Pacific season. September is the peak month for storms reaching the Baja California peninsula, risk falls through October, and no storm on record has reached the peninsula in November.
What is the worst month for hurricanes in La Paz?
September. Of the storms recorded affecting the Baja California peninsula, 56 came in September, more than in any other month, followed by October (22) and August (19).
Are there hurricanes in La Paz in November?
Very rarely. No tropical storm on record has reached the Baja California peninsula in November, although the season officially runs until November 30. If you travel in early November, check the National Hurricane Center a few days before you go.
What does an orange hurricane alert mean in Mexico?
Orange (Alarma) is the fourth of five levels in Mexico's tropical cyclone alert system. It means high danger, with the storm's effects expected in roughly 36 to 6 hours: risk zones are evacuated and temporary shelters open.
Is La Paz safer than Cabo during hurricanes?
La Paz sits on the Gulf of California side of the peninsula, and the recent major landfalls, Odile in 2014 and Norma in 2023, came ashore near Los Cabos and the Pacific side. But La Paz has had serious storms of its own, including Liza in 1976 and flooding from Norma, so the same precautions apply in both places.
Should I buy travel insurance for a fall trip to La Paz?
For trips between August and October, yes, and buy it when you book. Most policies do not cover a storm that had already been named when you bought the policy.
Where are the hurricane shelters in La Paz?
The Ayuntamiento de La Paz publishes the official list of temporary shelters each season, with each one's status (open, on standby or closed), on the App La Paz and the municipal website. Shelters open as storms approach, so check the live list rather than a saved one.
Choosing between the two ends of the peninsula? La Paz vs. Los Cabos compares them. And for the rest of the year's weather, the climate guide has it month by month.