Riviera Maya, Q.R. — With a small break in rain Sunday, a weekend of wet weather continues across much of the state. Over the weekend, Quintana Roo was pelted with hard rain that left many areas waterlogged.
On Monday, Mexico’s National Meteorological Service (SMN) reported that over the weekend, another 149.4 mms of rain had fallen over the city of Cancun. That, in addition to the 173.7 mms that fell between Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
The island of Isla Mujeres was also soaked by the same system that, according to its mayor, dumped 60 mms of rain Friday night. The heavy downpour left some central island streets under water that took nearly an hour to drain clear.
“On Friday, it rained 60 millimeters. It was a lot of rain but the pumps were working and the puddles took 40 to 50 minutes to subside,” said Isla Mujeres Mayor Atenea Gómez.
The island of Cozumel also suffered from the downpour with a power outage reported in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood.
“Dear friends, heavy rains have been recorded on the island so an operation was activated by Civil Protection, Public Services and Transit at various locations. Some puddles have been reported, and we are clearing the trash clogging the drains. We have received reports that the power has gone out in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood.
“We contacted the CFE (Federal Electricity Commission) to request prompt attention. Citizens are encouraged to drive with caution and stay informed through official media,” Cozumel Gobierno reported Friday night.
While there was a sun-and-cloud weather break Sunday, the rain returned. On Monday, State Civil Protection issued a rain alert for the state with as much as another 75 mms forecast.
“Heavy rain to very heavy rainfall (accumulations of 50 to 75 mm) accompanied by thunderstorms are expected to continue over the municipalities of Othón P. Blanco, Bacalar, Felipe Carrillo Puerto and Tulum.
“Showers with heavy and intermittent rainfall (25 to 50 mm) are expected in José María Morelos, Benito Juárez (Cancun), Isla Mujeres, Lázaro Cárdenas, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel.
“The rainfall may cause reduced visibility on stretches of roads, as well as flooding in low-lying areas,” Coordinación Estatal de Protección Civil Quintana Roo warned. The continued wet weather is the result of a tropical wave interacting with humid Carribean Sea air.
According to Coordinación Estatal de Protección Civil “Tropical Wave 36 is interacting with an upper-level cyclonic circulation, the monsoon trough, and humid air from the Caribbean Sea, causing heavy rainfall in Campeche and Quintana Roo, as well as the southeast and south of the country, and very heavy rainfall in Yucatán and Puebla.”
The ongoing heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast to stick around Monday and Tuesday.
