Extreme cold front closes key Gulf Coast ports, as winter weather blows in from the north

The season’s 10th cold front has descended on Mexico, and with it has come warnings of a nortazo, or a norther, prompting the Naval Ministry (Semar) to close several key ports in the Gulf of Mexico.

Mexico’s National Water Commission (Conagua) issued alerts on Thursday morning that the norther — a cold gale or storm with north winds — would affect large sections of southeastern Mexico.

#Chubascos con #Lluvias fuertes se pronostican para entidades del sureste mexicano, así como #EventoDeNorte con #Rachas de 80 a 100 km/h y #Oleaje de 3 a 5 metros de altura en en el #GolfoDeTehuantepec, durante las siguientes tres horas. Más información en ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/8K7eS56Ks9

— CONAGUA Clima (@conagua_clima) November 21, 2024

Mexico’s national weather service predicted heavy rains and strong winds in Gulf Coast states, prompting the navy, which runs Mexico’s ports, to order the temporary closures. (Conagua/Twitter)

Conagua forecast heavy rains along the Gulf Coast, while also issuing a special advisory for coastal areas of the state of Veracruz.

Veracruz state residents were warned of heavy rains throughout the morning, and Conagua forecast that the norther would produce gusts of wind up to 80 km/h. Coastal areas of Veracruz were warned that waves could reach as high as 2 to 3 meters.

The online news site Urbis reported that municipal authorities in the cities of Veracruz and Boca del Río had urged residents to remain indoors.

The Conagua forecast for southeastern Mexico included heavy rains and thick clouds in the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco. There, the norther was expected to produce gusts of wind from 80 to 100 km/h and waves reaching up to 5 meters in height in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. 

Conagua also issued an advisory about possible flooding and mudslides, while also advising that the high winds could topple trees and billboards.

Several Gulf ports closed

Cierran puertos en el Golfo de México y el Mar Caribe
https://t.co/OuCJ5T2n4m pic.twitter.com/kVVDWThiWE

— PacoZeaCom (@PacoZeaCom) November 21, 2024

Some Gulf Coast states were already seeing windy weather as of Wednesday, when authorities began issuing advisories to port authorties.(PacoZea.com/Twitter)

Beginning on Wednesday, Semar began issuing advisories to port authorities up and down the Gulf of Mexico, as well as to ports on the Caribbean side of the country. Semar even used its social media account to urge the public to heed instructions from local Civil Protection officials.

Semar temporarily closed major ports in Tamaulipas (Tampico and Altamira), restricted navigation in the Veracruz ports of Tuxpan and Alvarado and closed the port of Seybaplaya in the state of Campeche.

Several smaller Veracruz ports — including Coatzacoalcos, Tecolutla, Tamiahua, Nautla, Cazones and Balzapote — were also ordered closed. Semar also ordered several ports to prohibit leisure navigation (lighter craft) in the Tampico ports of La Pesca and Matamoros, as well as at the Vicente Guerrero reservoir. 

Leisure navigation was also prohibited at El Cuchillo Solidaridad (a Nuevo León port) and at all ports primarily devoted to tourist activities in the states of Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo. The popular resort area of Isla del Carmen was also ordered to curtail all sailing and boating activities. 

Semar said it would issue updates later in the day, forecasting that the norther would likely weaken by Friday.

With reports from Debate and Urbis