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Arctic front brings snow to northern and central Mexico

Cat Rainsford
By Cat Rainsford
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Photos of snowfall in Mexico City's highest altitude areas have been widely shared on social media since Dec. 25. (Martí Batres Twitter)

An Arctic front is sweeping down from the north across Mexico, bringing subzero temperatures in central and northern states and rare snowfall in parts of Mexico City.

Mexican authorities have issued orange and yellow weather alerts, warning of temperatures between -5 and -10 degrees Celsius across the central states, and possibly as low as -15 degrees Celsius in the mountain regions of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango and Nuevo León.

Snow on Dec. 25 and 26 brought visitors to high-altitude areas near Mexico City, like the Nevado de Toluca volcano. (Cuartoscuro)

“We anticipate that on Wednesday we will see a third winter storm. This is a new front that, together with a polar trough, could generate snow and sleet in the north of the country,” said Berenice Pelaes, meteorologist at Mexico’s National Meteorological Service (SMN).

This new cold front promises a continuation of the freezing weather that first hit Mexico last week and has also caused havoc across much of the United States, including road closures, power outages and at least 50 deaths.

Low temperatures are expected across most of the north and into central Mexico. (Conagua Clima Twitter)

Although no deaths have yet been reported in Mexico, civil society organizations have expressed concern about the situation of Mexico’s poorest communities, including migrants in makeshift camps along the U.S. border. Southern and eastern states could also experience extreme weather conditions, with heavy rain and winds of up to 80 km/h.

However, many people have also been enjoying the cold snap, which has brought a picturesque frost to some of the wooded hamlets above Mexico City. Christmas Day brought snow in Tlalpan, Milpa Alta and Cuajimalpa, drawing sightseers from the city to witness and take photos of the unusual sight. Snow is expected to remain on the ground in Ajusco through the mid-week, although the SMN is not predicting further snowfall in the area.

Civil Protection authorities urge citizens to “wear at least three layers of clothing, preferably cotton or wool; use cream to protect and moisturize the skin against the cold; avoid exposure to sudden changes in temperature; drink plenty of water and consume fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins A and C.”

With reports from El País and La Silla Rota

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