Riviera Maya, Q.R. — After weeks of drought, rains have finally made an appearance along with two Atlantic disturbances. Heavy rains hit parts of Quintana Roo Tuesday, leaving many main streets and avenues flooded.
State residents in various areas from Cancun to Chetumal reported waterlogged streets due to heavy downpours. The Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) of Quintana Roo issued an alert regarding flooding in Chetumal.
A list of Chetumal city streets considered impassable due to deep water was published on social media. In Cancun, the Transit Directorate reported 40 operational elements with three tow trucks out assisting stranded motorists.
Eight Transit pickups were also out monitoring the city center areas of Xcaret, Cobá, Kabah, Andrés Quintana Roo, Tulum, Bonampak, José López Portillo Avenues as well as Colosio Boulevard and Kukulkan Boulevard.
Mexico’s weather agency Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) forecast the heavy rains (75 to 150 millimeters) Tuesday and into Wednesday for Campeche, Chiapas, eastern Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, southern Veracruz, and Yucatan.
Those rains are forecast to not only continue, but to also expand to include the entire state by the weekend. Two disturbances being reported by the National Hurricane Center (NOAA) in Miami could add to the Yucatan Peninsula’s already very wet forecast.
One disturbance near the Florida Peninsula was located earlier this week. The elongated area of low pressure is producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms. The NOAA says some slow development is possible while the system moves northeastward.
The second disturbance was reported early Wednesday in the Gulf of Mexico. “A broad area of low pressure could form over the weekend across the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.
“Environmental conditions appear conducive for some slow development early next week while the system moves slowly westward or west-northwestward. Formation chance through 7 days…low…30 percent,” they reported.
Regardless of disturbance development, thunderstorms are forecast for the entire Yucatan Peninsula for the rest of the week. The SMN says between 75 and 150 mms is possible while the region maintains its 30C (86F) to 35C (95F) daytime temperatures.
