Kent: Weather or Not

One of the reasons we live here is the weather.

If you had a private conversation with me in the past six months, I probably mentioned the almost-perfect, year-round climate of the Lake Chapala area.

We visited Judi’s cousin Kent and his husband Chris in San Pancho, Mexico, in April of 2025, and that’s when the idea of retiring to Mexico really took hold. San Pancho is a wonderful town just north of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific coast. We loved our week there and could easily imagine ourselves living that beach life.

Judi especially loved the ocean.

But then reality set in. We had already experienced hot, humid summers in Shreveport, and it turns out the coastal areas of Mexico offer more of the same—beautiful, yes, but also very warm and very humid for a good part of the year.

So I did what I tend to do. I Googled: “Where is the best weather in Mexico?”

It turns out there is a place in Mexico that, according to urban legend, has the second best weather in the world. The north shore of Lake Chapala. It sits at about 5,000 feet above sea level, which turns out to be a pretty sweet spot. High enough to keep things cooler, low enough to avoid being chilly. Add a very large lake acting like a natural air conditioner, and you get something close to weather perfection. Mornings might call for a sweater, afternoons for sunscreen, and evenings for sitting outside wondering why you ever lived anywhere else.

So naturally… we moved here in the worst few months of the year.

From about mid-April to mid-June, it’s hotter, drier, and dustier than the rest of the year.

Like many houses here, we don’t have air conditioning. Our bedroom is on the second floor, which means it’s even warmer than downstairs.

We sleep with the windows wide open for airflow and the ceiling fan going full tilt.

When there’s a lake breeze, it’s fantastic. When there’s not… we’re sleeping with as few clothes as possible and all the blankets kicked to the floor.

Sorry for that visual.

On warmer days, we get our walks and bike rides in early. Midday is reserved for a siesta, Spanish study, reading, or a little ukulele.

Evenings are perfect again, especially for a stroll along the well-lit lakeside malecón.

Locals look forward to the rainy season starting around mid-June, when everything cools off and turns green again. And here’s the magical part: It usually rains at night. One of my pool buddies—an amateur meteorologist—gave me a detailed explanation involving mountains, jet streams, and other scientific things. I wasn’t paying attention. I prefer to think of it as magic.

We’re looking forward to nighttime lightning storms and the sound of water rushing down the cobblestone streets toward the lake.

We’re looking forward to the next wave of color—different trees and flowers taking their turn on nature’s stage.

For now, the “worst” weather of the year is just fine. We are definitely not suffering. Ninety degrees here feels a whole lot better than ninety degrees in Louisiana humidity.

If any of you are planning a visit, aim for July through February for the full “best weather in the world” experience.

We love that we can be active outside year-round. We love sleeping with the windows open. We love that an ocean beach is just three or four hours away. Maybe we’ll get a car someday for that reason. In the meantime, there are short flights and comfortable buses that will get us there just fine.

With that, I’ll sign off with this week’s weather report from Ajijic, Mexico:

Warm today—starting around 65°F and topping out near 91. A few clouds may offer relief. A midday siesta is strongly recommended.

— Kent

READ JUDI’S MAY 3,2026 POST