Overview
- The canícula is an annual roughly 40-day period of reduced rainfall and sustained heat that interrupts Mexico’s summer rainy season
- A stationary high-pressure ridge over the Gulf and Caribbean inhibits cloud formation and redirects moisture away from central regions
- Sixteen states in the Southeast, Central-Pacific and Bajío are forecast to bear the brunt of heat and drought while the northwest and Mexico City see lighter effects
- Sustained dryness is heightening irrigation demands for maize and bean farmers and posing risks to crop yields
- Public health warnings highlight dehydration, heat-related illnesses and elevated wildfire potential, and residents are urged to follow SMN and Conagua bulletins