What is causing the intense heat wave in Mexico?

( Spanish) — How hot! It is the phrase that is heard most frequently these days in Mexico. It is not just a sensation, in the last few days the thermometers have exceeded 40 degrees in at least 22 of the 32 states, according to the National Water Commission (With water).

The meteorologist from the Institute of Astronomy and Meteorology of the University of Guadalajara, Maydes Barcenas, says that it is an atypical condition for a month of June since in general, the highest records in this country usually occur between April and May.

“What is unusual about this June is the number of days and the number of hours with temperatures that are high or above the average value for the month of June,” he pointed out.

As an example He cited the case of the metropolitan area of ​​Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco in western Mexico, where in some parts of the city temperatures were reached that had not occurred for at least a century for a month of June, according to his records.

What is causing this phenomenon?

According to Conagua, this is the third heat wave that entered the country in the first days of June and that could last until this weekend.

Jorge Zavala Hidalgo, director of the Institute of Atmosphere Sciences and Climate Change at UNAM, says that a heat wave refers to a period of five or more days with temperatures above 10% of the average for a region.

He adds that a heat wave is formed by masses of hot air with slow circulation or semi-stationary that descend and do not allow the circulation of fresh air or the formation of clouds, which increases the temperature and radiation.

The increase in temperatures according to experts will be a constant on the planet and Mexico is no exception.

Simone Lucatello, research professor at the Mora Institute and member of the UN Group of Experts on Climate Change warns that there are several factors that are contributing to the increase in temperatures in Mexico.

“There are several factors that are coming together, let’s say it’s a bit of a perfect storm… which are constant temperature increases, heat waves, fires, droughts and at the same time also intense precipitation due to the increase in temperature in the ocean, particularly in the Pacific,” he says.

He adds that according to the forecasts of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Climate Change, this trend will continue in the coming years.

The Ministry of Health in Mexico reported one person dead from heat stroke in the week that this phenomenon began in the country. So far this year there have been six victims due to high temperatures and 418 who have suffered some disorder.