Lorena did not come to have tea: an undesirable meteorological visitor
It seems that Tropical Depression Twelve-E decided that being a simple depression was not dramatic enough and, in a burst of fame, transformed this morning into Tropical Storm “Lorraine”. Its calling card includes winds of 75 km/h and gusts of up to 95 km/h, because why be discreet when you can be the absolute center of attention? His preferred course: northwest, because the south was too crowded.
In Tepic, Nayarit, the rains that accompanied this meteorological diva were not exactly a gentle drizzle to water the plants. They turned out to be so brutally effective that they caused the death of a man of approximately 30 years old. On Monday night, in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood, the water currents demonstrated an unexpected force, dragging him and depositing his body, with macabre irony, under a vehicle. Because nothing says “natural disaster” like ending up trapped under the ultimate symbol of human mobility.
The aquatic chaos and the warnings that everyone hopes to ignore
The rainfall, as expected from a phenomenon that seeks prominence, was not content with wetting the grass. They decided to cause floods and treacherous currents in various parts of the Nayarit capital. The authorities, in an exercise of masterful obviousness, made the revolutionary call to citizens to avoid “risky areas.” Because, of course, who would think of avoiding an overflowing river or a street turned into a canal in Venice?
Meanwhile, in the neighboring state of Colima, the State Civil Protection Unit (UEPC) put on its best clothes of preventive alarmism. He urged the population to remain attentive to the weather conditions, which in Colima language means: “lock up your grandparents, tie up the dog and put away the car, because Lorena is coming and does not forgive.” The forecast promises very heavy rain (50 to 75 mm), which will surely fall just when you had planned to wash the car or hang the clothes. To make the spectacle more impressive, the precipitation could come with electric shocks and hail, because rain alone is so boring…
But wait, there’s more. Lorena’s package of surprises includes wind gusts of 50 to 70 kilometers per hour, perfect for ruining hairstyles and blowing away clotheslines, and a high swell of 2.5 to 3.5 meters on the coasts. The authorities, with a moving faith in the common sense of the people, asked for extreme precautions and to avoid activities in beach areas. Because, as we all know, a 3.5-meter swell is the perfect setting for local surfers to experience their own version of “The Perfect Storm.”
And Jalisco could not be missing from this meteorological festival. Civil Protection of Jalisco issued a weather surveillance warning, pointing out that the cloud bands in Lorena maintain the possibility of very strong and even intense occasional rains. “On time,” of course, is the technical term for “they’ll fall right on top of that parade they worked so hard to organize.”
In short, Tropical Storm Lorraine has arrived to remind us who is boss in the atmosphere. With its combination of hurricane force winds, torrential rains and intimidating waves, it offers us the most dangerous free show of the season. The authorities, for their part, fulfill their role of repeating ad nauseam that we avoid what is obviously avoidable. Meanwhile, nature takes its course, showing us once again that, no matter how much technology advances, we are still luxury spectators in the theater of the unpredictable.
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