Overview
- Mexico remains in a prolonged heat episode affecting nearly 90% of the country, driven by a mid‑level high‑pressure system that blocks cooling and keeps temperatures well above normal.
- The SMN says the popular phrase “heat dome” is only colloquial, and explains the actual driver as an anticyclone that pushes air downward, compresses it, and traps heat near the ground.
- State forecasts call for pockets above 45°C in northwest Guerrero, with 40–45°C in states such as Nuevo León, Jalisco, Michoacán, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Puebla, Chiapas, Campeche and Yucatán, and 35–40°C in many others.
- The stagnant high elevates ozone and other pollutants in big cities like Mexico City, worsening air quality and raising risks for people with asthma or heart and lung conditions.
- Authorities expect the hot pattern to carry into May, and climate models point to a warmer than usual May–July if El Niño develops, which could prolong heat and dryness across parts of Mexico.