Tuesday, May 21, 2024

First heat wave of the season brings scorching temperatures across Mexico

Brace yourself for a hot week in Mexico with the arrival of the season’s first official heat wave.

The National Meteorological Service (SMN) predicts that temperatures are set to rise up to 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southeastern states of Campeche, Chiapas, Guerrero, Tabasco, Oaxaca and Veracruz, as well as the northern state of Sinaloa.

Scorching temperatures between 40 to 45 degrees Celsius are forecast for Coahuila, Colima, Jalisco, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo León and Yucatán.

Temperatures between 35 to 40 degrees are expected in Chihuahua, Durango, southwest México state, southern Guanajuato, northern Hidalgo, southwest Puebla, Quintana Roo, southern San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas.

Meanwhile, Aguascalientes, Baja Southern California, Mexico City, Querétaro and Tlaxcala will see temperatures range between 30 to 35 degrees Celsius.

The heatwave, which began on Sunday, has already brought record temperatures for Mexico City. On Sunday afternoon, the Meteorological Observatory of Tacubaya registered 32.9 degreesCelsius, exceeding the previous record of 32 degrees Celsius registered by the observatory on the same day in 1998.


On April 14, Mexico City recorded a temperature of 32.9 degrees Celsius, the hottest temperature in the area in recorded history.

The SMN explained on its X account that Mexico’s current heatwave is caused by a semi-stationary anticyclonic system that inhibits cloud formation, increasing temperatures.

Due to the high temperatures, the population is advised to take preventive measures such as staying hydrated and closely monitoring chronically ill people, children and older adults. Authorities also recommend avoiding eating street food as the heat will increase the risk of foodborne illness.

Scattered rains and low temperatures are forecast in other parts of Mexico

Meanwhile, some lucky regions will see scattered rainfall (from 5 to 25 millimeters) due to low pressure channels over the middle of the country. These regions include Chiapas, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Michoacán and Querétaro. Isolated showers (from 0.1 to 5 mm) are forecast in Coahuila, State of Mexico, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas.

Meanwhile, northern cold front number 46 will cause wind gusts of 80 to 100 kilometers per hour (km/h) in Chihuahua and Sonora, with whirlwinds and dust devils likely. Coahuila, northern Nuevo León and northeastern Tamaulipas may also feel the chill with winds forecast to reach 60 to 80 km/h.

The cold front will cause lows ranging between -5 to 5 degrees Celsius in the mountainous areas of Baja California, Chihuahua, Durango, México state, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla, Sonora, Tlaxcala and Veracruz.

Mexico News Daily

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