The polar cold settles in Mexico
Although cold front number 30 no longer affects us directly, its more persistent companion does. The associated arctic air mass is still here, and according to the National Meteorological Service (SMN), it is modifying the climate significantly.
Heavy rain and strong winds
The phenomenon maintains heavy to very heavy rains in Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas. There are also showers in Tabasco, Campeche and Quintana Roo.
The SMN warns that these precipitations increase the risk of landslides, floods and flooding of rivers and streams in vulnerable areas.
But it’s not just water. A North event is reported with brutal gusts of wind: between 90 and 110 km/h in the isthmus and gulf of Tehuantepec. In Veracruz, gusts reach 80 km/h. Imagine the waves: up to five meters on the Gulf and Yucatan coasts.
A country divided by temperature
Here comes the brutal contrast. While in the mountains of Chihuahua, Durango and Coahuila the thermometers reach -15°C, with widespread frosts in the north and center…
…in regions of the South Pacific and the West, maximum temperatures above 35°C are supported. It is the clear signature of this polar system interacting with our climate.
Why does this happen
Experts from the National Weather Service (NOAA) explain it: these masses travel from Canada following atmospheric patterns. When colliding with frontal systems and jet streams, they intensify.
The UK Met Office adds a key fact: they don’t just cool the surface. When encountering warm and humid air, they generate instability, which favors those torrential rains that we see in the tropics.
Additional risks: fog and frozen surfaces
The SMN also warns about fog banks that reduce visibility on roads. Freezing temperatures can cause surfaces to freeze, another risk for the population.
The lesson is clear: these systems are not abstract. Its footprint is slippery roads, overflowing rivers and a cold that penetrates the bones. Following official advisories is not a suggestion, it is a necessity.
