September rains are expected to remain “close to the historical average” following a “very active” rainy season that has alleviated drought conditions across the country, the National Meteorological System (SMN) announced Thursday.
According to the agency, drought conditions dropped by 1.8% between July 27 and Aug. 10, compared to the previous 15-day period.
😯☔️ ¡Continuarán las lluvias, no guardes el paraguas!
Se esperan #Lluvias de distintas intensidades en gran parte del país. pic.twitter.com/ywuEsjVSzV
— CONAGUA Clima (@conagua_clima) August 15, 2025
“In the center, the south, and the southeast in general, drought levels have dropped significantly with the rains. Fortunately, the monsoon has been very active throughout Sonora, Sinaloa, Oaxaca, and Durango. Only a few very limited regions on the northern border have still experienced persistent drought,” the SMN General Coordinator Fabián Vázquez Romaña explained.
In the short term, heavy rainfall is expected to continue across much of the country until Sunday, meteorologist Jesús Carachure told Uno TV. August and September are “statistically the months with the most rainfall,” he said.
Rains September average roughly 140 mm (5.5 in) while August generally sees 132 mm (5.2 in) of rain.
Vázquez recalled that June was the rainiest month nationwide on record, with a nation-wide average of 155 mm (6.12 in) of rain. The extra precipitation was especially notable in Mexico City, where repeated downpours led to unusual flooding.
It’s official: June was the rainiest month ever recorded in Mexico
The heavy rains have continued this month, as rainfall on Aug. 10 flooded Mexico City’s Zócalo and other areas of the Historic Center. It also led to the suspension of air operations in Mexico City International Airport (AICM) for about four hours and flooded several boroughs across the city.
According to Vázquez, that storm dumped 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, a record for August. Although the rains caused traffic problems due to their intensity and short duration, Vázquez said the precipitation has been beneficial to the city’s water supply. The Cutzamala System, responsible for supplying water to both Mexico City and the state of México, is currently at over 60%, he said — a major improvement over this time last year.
He said September rains are expected to continue aiding the system’s recovery.
Invest 98 heading towards the Gulf of Mexico
The SMN also warned of Invest 98, an unstable zone located in the western and southwestern Gulf of Mexico, which as of Friday morning had a 20% chance of developing into a cyclone (a tropical depression, storm or hurricane) within 48 hours. The weather system has generated very heavy rainfall in states such as Veracruz, Tamaulipas and Tabasco, with accumulated rainfall of up to 40 mm (1.6 in) and a high risk of flash flooding and thunderstorms.
In addition to being Mexico’s rainiest month, September is also the month of greatest hurricane activity in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. In October, rainfall begins to decrease with the arrival of cold fronts.
With reports from EFE and El Financiero
