This season is characterized by the fact that temperatures are noticeably high as the drought progresses. The most critical point occurs at the end of April and ends when the rainy season begins.
MÉRIDA, Yucatán. (Megamedia) – Meteorologist Juan Vázquez Montalvo, member of the Institutional Committee for the Attention of Extreme Meteorological Phenomena (Ciafeme) of the Autonomous University of Yucatán (Uady), said during an interview that the dry season, a period that begins in late February or early March and ends in the second half of May or early June, occurs mainly because of the anticyclonic systems that begin to dominate the Yucatan peninsula, causing mostly clear skies, lacking the convection that forms the clouds that cause rainfall due to the descending air and prevent the arrival of cold fronts that approach the area; when the anticyclonic system in the area disappears, loses intensity or moves, it gives rise to isolated precipitations due to the entrance of humidity or the arrival of a cold front.
Traditional rains
The meteorologist points out that during this season, there are traditional rains caused by cold fronts, which are characterized by thunderstorms accompanied by gusts of wind and hail; these rains are:
The first group of “rains,” called in Spanish Lluvia de las ciruelas, usually occurs in the second half of March; the second occurs in the first half of April; then the rain called “the day of the child” since it usually hits around which occurs in the second half of April; and the rain of the Holy Cross, which occurs in the first days of May.
They do not always occur, and in recent years, climate change has varied in its appearance, but they are known as traditional rains.
In May, there is the rain of May 5 and the rain of San Isidro Labrador in the middle of May, which in the past was the warning that the rainy season was about to begin.
La Niña” phenomenon
Due to the “La Niña” phenomenon, it is very likely that this year most of these rains will occur, taking into account that we have an active cold front season.
In particular, the drought for Yucatan is not expected to have many fires since the forest is still green due to the great overactive rainy season of last year, particularly the west, southwest, center, and west part of the south, which are still green due to the extraordinary rain of the cold front No.36, which occurred recently and the fires will start in the east and southeast of the state.
Yucatecan farmers who work traditional cornfields already have their burning calendar programmed for these dates.
Warm waves
Temperatures will depend on the warm waves that will affect us, which are expected to be the same as last year, which are the ones that cause the maximum value to be reached. On the other hand, the thermal sensation or heat index, which in Yucatecan words we know as “bochorno” (heat with humidity), will reach appreciably high values.
We expect some “respites” from the heat when cold fronts reach us, which could cause a cooling of the temperature and a decrease in some cases.
Vázquez Montalvo suggests that we take precautions and care for the dry season, especially if a fire is detected. It is necessary to provide support and call 9 1 1 to report it.
As for the water supply for Yucatecans, the expert points out that there will be no problem since our water source, groundwater, is well above the required level. To be exact, we have 3.40 meters above normal, something that is truly desirable worldwide.
