Mexico City, Dec. 15 - The National Coordination of Civil Protection (CNPC) urged the population to stay informed and apply self-care measures in response to forecasts of heavy rainfall today in several states of Mexico.
According to the National Meteorological Service (SMN), cold front number 21 will extend this Monday with stationary characteristics over the central Gulf of Mexico towards the eastern part of the country, interacting with a low-pressure channel over the southeast.
This situation will cause intense rains in Veracruz (Los Tuxtlas and Olmeca regions), very heavy rains in Puebla (Sierra Norte, Sierra Nororiental, and Valle Serdán), Veracruz (Huasteca Alta, Huasteca Baja, Totonaca, Nautla, and Papaloapan), Oaxaca (north and east), Tabasco (south), and Chiapas (north and east).
Experts predict heavy precipitation in San Luis Potosí (Huasteca), Querétaro (Sierra Gorda), Hidalgo (Sierra Alta, Huasteca, and Sierra de Tenango), Puebla (Tehuacán-Sierra Negra), Veracruz (Capital, Las Montañas, and Sotavento), Tamaulipas (south), Yucatán (north), and Quintana Roo (south).
Among the recommendations from authorities to citizens are to avoid crossing rivers, streams, or flooded streets; keep drains, gutters, and rooftops clean; follow instructions from local Civil Protection authorities; and remove loose objects from rooftops, balconies, and yards.
They also suggest not parking under trees, poles, or unstable structures and to drive cautiously, especially on highways.
The SMN also noted that the polar air mass associated with the front will cause a drop in temperature in areas of the Northern and Central Plateaus.
Additionally, it will cause north component winds with gusts of 70 to 90 km/h in the Isthmus and Gulf of Tehuantepec (Oaxaca and Chiapas); 50 to 70 km/h on the coasts of Tamaulipas and Veracruz; and 40 to 60 km/h along the shores of Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo.
Specialists also warned of high waves on the coasts of the mentioned states, while moisture inflow from the Pacific Ocean will generate rains and showers in states in the west, center, and south of the national territory.
