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tashby

Aug 19, 2013, 3:04 PM

Post #1 of 23 (1315 views)

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How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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I know that MexConnect members are spread far and wide throughout the country, and not everybody shares the same "rainy season", but for many of us here in the middle, it's now time.

How's your rainy season so far?

Here at Lake Chapala, it looked promising when the rains started a few days earlier than normal, and everybody got their hopes up. Then it faltered. But then the rains came back and things looked semi-promising again. But since then the rains have practically disappeared. August has become a make or break month. It's not too late for a recovery, but it's not looking good.

Are other areas of Mexico, particularly central Mexico, getting pretty much the same thing? Meaning, not enough?

(This post was edited by tashby on Aug 19, 2013, 3:06 PM)

tonyburton

Aug 19, 2013, 3:37 PM

Post #2 of 23 (1306 views)

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Re: [tashby] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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The lake certainly needs some more water and I'll be interested to read the updates you will receive in answer to your query.
It might interest readers to know that almost all of Mexico has a summer rainy season, with the main exception being the extreme north-west of the country. For an introduction to Mexico's seven main climate regions, try this extract from Geo-Mexico.

Anonimo

Aug 19, 2013, 5:52 PM

Post #3 of 23 (1278 views)

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Re: [tashby] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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It's been over a week, as I see it, since it rained in the Lake Pátzcuaro area.

"En Boca Cerrada No Entran Moscas."

Saludos,
Anonimo

esperanza

Aug 19, 2013, 6:16 PM

Post #4 of 23 (1268 views)

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Re: [tashby] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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It's been sporadic in our part of Mexico City. We've had some gully-washers (if we had a gully) and some days where we never get wet. But given that Mexico City is so enormous (if you were to board a commercial jet and fly north-to-south over the city, it would take you 15 minutes to cross), it can rain in the north and be dry as a bone near the center, where we are--and vice versa, of course.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

morgaine7

Aug 19, 2013, 6:30 PM

Post #5 of 23 (1257 views)

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Re: [tashby] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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I'm in the "arid" zone (Tony's link) of La Paz, Baja California Sur, where any rain is an event and a substantial rainfall is usually part of a tropical storm system. Nonetheless, the weather forecast is showing a 70% chance of rain on Friday. Vamos a ver ...

Kate

rockydog85251

Aug 19, 2013, 6:44 PM

Post #6 of 23 (1251 views)

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Re: [morgaine7] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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Here in Mazatlan, we too are lacking in the wet stuff. We've only had one big "blow" so far (not complaining about that though) - at least here in Centro - and not much rain at all. Although it is sort of puckering up right now......
Willie

citlali

Aug 19, 2013, 8:15 PM

Post #7 of 23 (1233 views)

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Re: [rockydog85251] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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In the Chiapas Highlands the corn is behind, We get rain on a regular basis but it does not penetrate very deep. We will get a downpour followed by the dry spell of a few days. SO rain is beloow average I would thing.

fugawibill

Aug 19, 2013, 8:53 PM

Post #8 of 23 (1224 views)

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Re: [rockydog85251] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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I echo rockydog's post. We also could use some rain, as is way hot and humid here in Mazatlan. In two weeks, I head for higher ground, and hopefully some rain for the lakes and fishes.

robt65

Aug 19, 2013, 9:51 PM

Post #9 of 23 (1212 views)

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Re: [tashby] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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Hello Tashby,

I don't know the exact numbers, but a couple of weeks ago I was reading the weather in the local paper, (El Sol de San Juan del Río) and was amazed to see the annual total rainfall so far at 247 cm. I knew we were having a lot of rain including a few downpours, but this has been the heaviest rainfall this year that I have seen in the past four years. Streets were flooding in San Juan del Rio, with the dams in Amealco having to release water. for the first timer in four years that I can remember the Rio de San Juan actually had water running in it! Stores and neighborhoods had been flooded on several occasions. most of the rains around here was a steady hours long rain, if not all night long rainfall, with a few "gully washers" thrown in for good measure (pardon the pun).

Without a doubt the farmers are very happy and corn is tall and in great shape. Al the various crops look to be healthy and plentiful for a change.

Regards,

Robt65
San Juan del Rio
Querétaro

Septiembre

Aug 20, 2013, 5:51 AM

Post #10 of 23 (1174 views)

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Re: [robt65] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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A very poor rainy season in Chapala and apparently to the north. Jet stream is way too far south for this time of year, pushing the moisture away.

Not looking good at all.

Sculptari

Aug 20, 2013, 7:43 AM

Post #11 of 23 (1133 views)

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Re: [Septiembre] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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I believe the odd thing about Lake Chapala is how quickly the water dropped. This has never occurred before, and leading to speculation that perhaps an ancient caldera/volcano has opened up and swallowed a lot of water. Sr. Burton would know much more, but a recent book on the formation and geological history of the Lake does not rule this out. Google the giant sinkholes that seem to turn up in ex-volcanic areas.
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(This post was edited by Sculptari on Aug 20, 2013, 7:43 AM)

YucaLandia

Aug 20, 2013, 8:16 AM

Post #12 of 23 (1121 views)

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Re: [tashby] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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Good rains here in Merida this season... The season started relatively early - in mid May/ late May. It seems to have rained at least once a week, and lately, our neighborhood has been getting cooling rains every other day.

... more rain than usual ... but Yucatan's air-flows typically sweep from acoss the north coast of South America (think Venezuela), and curve up to cross Yucatan - blowing in from the East / South-East. We also get some "Nortes" (storms from the north - coming in off the Gulf), but those are not the source of our regular rainy-season rains.
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Read-on MacDuff
E-visit at http://yucalandia.com

sparks

Aug 20, 2013, 8:48 AM

Post #13 of 23 (1114 views)

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Re: [tashby] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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For nearly the last month all weather coming up the west coast has headed west away from us. Looks like the pattern has changed and we now have a low off shore and have had rain the last 3-4 days

Sparks Mexico - Sparks Costalegre

esperanza

Aug 20, 2013, 10:04 AM

Post #14 of 23 (1099 views)

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Re: [Sculptari] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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In Reply To

A number of years ago, the Guadalajara Reporter published an article (on December 28) about a crack that had opened up in the bottom of Lake Chapala. Hmmm...

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

stevebrtx

Aug 20, 2013, 10:45 AM

Post #15 of 23 (1090 views)

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Re: [esperanza] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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The lake didn't come up much and already has started back down. Not a good sign at all. My gardeners have started watering again, so there goes my CFE bill plus filters.
http://www.chapalaweather.net

tonyburton

Aug 20, 2013, 11:16 AM

Post #16 of 23 (1087 views)

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Re: [Sculptari] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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I'm not sure the drop earlier this year was not actually that precipitous - the figures for lake level suggest is is pretty similar to some occasions in the past. If you are referring to the date on which it seems to be starting downward again this year, then that is definitely earlier than usual (but not a surprise given the low rainfall). Volcanic caldera is an interesting idea, but would not seem particularly likely (though my understanding of the geological history of the lake is limited). Which book are you referring to when you say "recent book on the formation and geological history of the Lake"?

(This post was edited by tonyburton on Aug 20, 2013, 11:17 AM)

stevebrtx

Aug 20, 2013, 12:02 PM

Post #17 of 23 (1079 views)

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Re: [tonyburton] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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We lost 1.45M from last year and so far only gained .4M and it's started back down, but in 2012 we lost 1.4M and in 2011 we lost 1.41M and in 2011 we only gained .24M so our loss's since the high in 2010 have been significant with very low replenishment rates. From 2003 to 2004 was the highest recent fill at 3.23M, so the lake could fill 9' in a season and that's about what we need to get us back up to 2010, but it looks very unlikely this season.

I lived on Lake Travis in TX and I've seen flood seasons where you could stand and literally watch the lake creep up the harbor ramp over a period of maybe 10-15 minutes and that lake is 50 miles long, imagine how much water that takes.
http://www.chapalaweather.net

Sculptari

Aug 20, 2013, 2:35 PM

Post #18 of 23 (1045 views)

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Re: [tonyburton] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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In Reply To

Which book are you referring to when you say "recent book on the formation and geological history of the Lake"?

I apologize - can't find it. I thought it was on your GeoMexico site or something written by John Pint. I believe it was in Spanish, had academic affiliations and had unusually good graphics.

It sure might be less rain than usual in Lake Chapala, but for me the weather is pretty well perfect. Days in the mid 70's, the swimming pool naturally heated to mid 80's in late afternoons, cool nights with deep sleep. Everything growing which such exuberance and force - but not the runaway wildness of the wet tropics.
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tonyburton

Aug 20, 2013, 2:43 PM

Post #19 of 23 (1039 views)

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Re: [Sculptari] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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OK; that must be the book about La Primavera by Barbara Dye - but it doesn't cover the geology of Lake Chapala specifically, only the area further north and west. [Book, and a related video, are referred to in "How was the Primavera Forest caldera in Jalisco formed?"]

Judy in Ags

Aug 20, 2013, 2:53 PM

Post #20 of 23 (1033 views)

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Re: [tashby] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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In the city of Aguascalientes we had a big unexpected rain on March 3 - 1.9 inches. But then the real rains did start till the middle of June (about the usual time). The unusual was that during the month of July we got 10.1 inches (the average for that month here is 4.25 inches.) It even rained a lot during the day, which is also unusual. Since July 30th, though we have had just a fraction of an inch. We could really use more right now.

tonyburton

Aug 20, 2013, 3:29 PM

Post #21 of 23 (1023 views)

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Re: [stevebrtx] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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Steve, You're right - it is very unlikely!
Lake Chapala has recovered more than 3 meters in only 5 other years (besides 2003) in the past 100 years:
1926 - 3.26 meters
1935 - 3.38 meters
1941 - 3.20 meters
1955 - 3.42 meters
1958 - 5.02 meters
Note that the likelihood of a big increase is higher when the lake is really low, since it requires less volume of water to increase the surface level by the first meter, than the second, than the third, etc, as the lake's surface area increases as the lake level rises.

Sculptari

Aug 20, 2013, 3:44 PM

Post #22 of 23 (1016 views)

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Re: [tonyburton] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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This is wandering a little off topic - but it is apparent to me, living in the high country for not even a year yet, how important the sun is here. Maybe because we are one mile closer to it, or it is more intense, but the sun at this height and latitude almost has a spirituality. If the clouds block it you can feel a cool shudder. I can see how so many ancient civilizations both honored and feared it.
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robt65

Aug 25, 2013, 6:59 AM

Post #23 of 23 (836 views)

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Re: [tashby] How's the rainy season where YOU live?

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An update on rain in and about San Juan del Rio, Qro. We have had continuous rain most nights and some late daytime rain. We have had only one night without some rain. Most rains have lasted for several hours and at a pretty good clip. Only one or two times was rain a drizzle. One bad thing from these rains is the number of mosquitoes present as well as holding up construction on the addition to our home. Concrete pouring doesn't mix well with the rain we have had. So we wait until the weather shows a clearing of the rain. The days and nights have been much cooler all summer, save for a few pretty hot ones earlier in June. It really is green around here though. The farmers crops appear to be the best they have been in several years. Our location is actually a little distance from San Juan del Rio, and we are backed up against some pretty steep mountains which raise 1000 to 1500 feet higher than our 6900 above sea level. I believe that also has a lot to do with the amounts of rain we are getting.

Regards,

Robt65
San Juan del Rio
Querétaro