Heat and rain are coming to Mexico: When does hurricane season start?

The hot season in Mexico began this week , and certain regions of the country are reporting higher temperatures this Tuesday, February 25, compared to previous weeks.

According to the Meteorological Service of the National Water Commission (Conagua), starting this week an anticyclonic system is expected to influence the appearance of clear skies in the country and reduce the probability of rain , which will translate into light wind currents, as well as an increase in drought in the northwest of the country, which is the area where there are more dams below 50 percent of their capacity.

In addition, with the appearance of this week's anticyclonic system, the forecast for cold fronts is expected to decrease , and although some are expected for the remainder of February, March and April, it is expected that there will be fewer cold fronts than the 48 forecast in the second half of last year.

Now, with the arrival of the hot season, there are fewer and fewer weeks left until the rains begin in Mexico. Here's what you need to know about what it will be like and what to expect from this year's hurricane season .

Hurricane season officially begins on June 1 in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, while in the Pacific Ocean it can begin as early as May 15 .

Although the dates may vary, it is from these months that low pressure systems and cyclones begin to affect the country .

According to Conagua, hurricane season lasts half a year, and it is not until the end of November that cyclones completely decrease their intensity in a large part of the country.

The Conagua Meteorological Service has not yet announced the number of hurricanes and tropical cyclones forecast for this year's season.

Last year , 15 to 18 cyclones were forecast in the Pacific Ocean, and 20 to 23 in the Atlantic Ocean ; however, the number may vary this year due to expected weather conditions.

Conagua's forecast for this year's hurricanes cannot be compared to the data from last year's hurricanes, since the La Niña phenomenon began last January, which brings with it various changes to the climate compared to previous years.

With the La Niña phenomenon, a cooling of the oceans is expected , which will impact the development of hurricanes and cyclones, since, for example, last year the development of Hurricane Beryl , which reached category five in June, was "precipitated" for the hurricane season, according to Conagua.

Another example of this is Hurricane Otis, which intensified from Category 1 to Category 5 in a matter of hours in October 2023 , and one of the possibilities for its intensification would have been the increase in ocean temperatures.

Now, with La Niña, weather patterns around the world are expected to be affected, making it possible for drought to also increase in certain areas such as northern Mexico.

The National Hurricane Center , using data from the World Meteorological Organization, announced the names that will be given to the cyclones that will occur during this year's hurricane season:

• Atlantic Ocean : Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van and Wendy.
• Pacific Ocean : Alvin, Barbara, Cosme, Dalila, Erick, Flossie, Gil, Henriette, Ivo, Juliette, Kiko, Lorena, Mario, Narda, Octave, Priscilla, Raymond, Sonia, Tico, Velma, Wallis, Xina, York and Zelda.

Some of these names could have their adaptation to Spanish.

With information from Bloomberg.