Yucatán braces for the hottest week of the year
The most severe heatwave of the year is expected to hit Yucatán in the coming days.
Meteorologists are expecting thermometers to hit 40 C / 104 F this week, but feel even hotter in most of Yucatán.
The state should also expect extremely warm winds ranging up to 50 kph / 31 mph an hour.
Government authorities are warning that due to the heat there is an increased risk of wildfires. Because of this, people engaging in slash-and-burn agriculture have been told to increase precautions.
Over the Easter holiday, Yucatán welcomed a cold front which could be the last of the season. Temperatures in some parts of the state went down as low as 15 C / 59 F, which is extremely low for the time of year.
Earlier: Concrete-laden north is 3 degrees hotter than the rest of Merida
Historically, April and May are the hottest months of the year in Yucatán. Daytime highs often turn even the most mundane tasks into exhausting chores.
As the heat continues to worsen, air conditioning use increases. In previous years this has placed a great amount of stress on the electricity grid and even created power outages.
Authorities recommend using air conditioning sparingly to keep outages from happening.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer and adventure leader. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.