Mérida has experienced a deluge of historic proportions.
Meteorologist Juan Ernesto Vázquez Montalvo reported that Sunday’s rainfall was the second heaviest recorded in the city, surpassed only by Hurricane Isidoro in 2002.
While not as prolonged, the rains were copious and lightning was frequent.
According to Vázquez Montalvo, the northeast region of Mérida received 7.1 inches (180.1 mm) of rain, just shy of the 7.9 inches (200.4 mm) recorded during Isidoro. This downpour marks a record for rainfall volume in the city, exceeding even the 6.3 inches (160.9 mm) during Tropical Storm Cristobal in 2020.
The Institutional Committee for the Attention of Extreme Meteorological Phenomena (Ciafeme) at the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) confirmed the intensity of the rain, stating that the CHMDY Station northeast of Mérida recorded wind gusts of 27 mph (44.0 km/h) and a total of 7.3 inches (186.1 mm) of precipitation.
The torrential rains disrupted Sunday activities across the city and served as a stark reminder of the power of tropical weather systems in the region.
Street flooding was common, stranding vehicles even on the Paseo Montejo, which resembled a raging river. The ceiling collapsed at Plaza Uptown, Plaza Galerias and at an Oxxo in Los Heroes. No injuries were reported at either location.
We can expect more of the same in the coming week. A new tropical wave over Central America is heading to the Peninsula’s southeast. Another wave is approaching from the Central Caribbean.
