The rainy season is beginning to show up on Mexico’s weather maps. The first tropical wave of the season is moving near southern Mexico, bringing a higher chance of heavy rain in Oaxaca and Chiapas. Forecasters are also watching how the system moves near the Gulf of Tehuantepec and toward Guerrero in the coming days. At the same time, hurricane monitoring has begun in the Pacific, though no tropical cyclone formation is expected in the next seven days.
First tropical wave approaches southern Mexico
The first tropical wave of the rainy season is moving near southern Mexico, days after the Pacific hurricane season opened on May 15.
The system is affecting weather conditions in the south and southeast. The main concern is rain, especially in parts of Oaxaca and Chiapas.
Forecasts call for strong to very heavy rain in parts of those states. The areas most closely watched include western and southwestern Oaxaca and Chiapas.
The tropical wave is also expected to reinforce rainfall near the Gulf of Tehuantepec. That area often plays a role in early-season weather along Mexico’s southern Pacific side.
Rain risk is the main concern
The current risk is tied to rainfall, not a named storm.
Heavy rain can create problems quickly in low-lying areas and mountain communities. It can raise river and stream levels and cause flooding, ponding, or landslides.
Thunderstorms and possible hail may also accompany some of the rain. Drivers in mountain and coastal areas should watch for reduced visibility and slick roads.
The system is expected to keep moving west. Forecasts show it continuing toward southern Guerrero, while rain chances remain in parts of southern and southeastern Mexico.
No tropical cyclone expected for now
The National Hurricane Center reported Thursday that tropical cyclone formation is not expected in the eastern and central North Pacific during the next seven days.
That does not remove the risk of rain from the tropical wave. It does mean the system is not currently being treated as a likely threat from a tropical cyclone.
The Pacific season runs from May 15 through November 30. This first wave marks an early sign that regular rainy-season monitoring is now underway.
