Mexico tropical cyclone rainfall climatology

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All tropical cyclone tracks between the years 1985 and 2005.

Mexico tropical cyclone rainfall climatology discusses precipitation characteristics of tropical cyclones that have struck Mexico over the years. One-third of the annual rainfall received along the Mexican Riviera and up to half of the rainfall received in Baja California Sur is directly attributable to tropical cyclones moving up the west coast of Mexico. The central plateau is shielded from the high rainfall amounts seen on the oceanward slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental and Occidental mountain chains.

General characteristics[]

Percent of annual rainfall contributed by tropical cyclones from the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Storms track near and along the western Mexican coastline primarily between the months of July and September.[1] These storms enhance the monsoon circulation over northwest Mexico and the southwest United States.[2] On an average basis, eastern Pacific tropical cyclones contribute about one-third of the annual rainfall along the Mexican Riviera, and up to one-half of the rainfall seen annually across Baja California Sur.[3] Mexico is twice as likely (18% of the basin total) to be impacted by a Pacific tropical cyclone on its west coast than an Atlantic tropical cyclone on its east coast (9% of the basin total). The three most struck states in Mexico in the 50 years at the end of the 20th century were Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, and Quintana Roo.[4]

Highest known rainfall amounts[]

Juliette (2001) Rainfall Distribution

Below is a list of the top ten highest known storm total rainfall amounts from individual tropical cyclones across Mexico. Most of the rainfall information was provided by the Mexico's National Weather Service, Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, which is a part of the National Water Commission, .

Wettest tropical cyclones and their remnants Mexico (Overall)
Highest-known totals
Precipitation Storm Location Ref.
Rank mm in
1 1576 62.05 Wilma 2005 Quintana Roo [5]
2 1119 44.06 Frances 1998 Escuintla [6]
3 1098 43.23 TD 11 (1999) Jalacingo [7]
4 1011 39.80 Juliette 2001 Cuadano/Santiago [8]
5 950 37.41 Dolly 1996 Igual [9]
6 941 37.06 Fifi–Orlene 1974 Tlanchinol [10]
7 890 35.04 Alex 2010 Monterrey [11]
8 805 31.69 Gert 1993 Aquismón [12]
9 791 31.15 Hermine 1980 San Pedro Tapanatepec [13]
10 774 30.49 Isidore 2002 Campeche [14]

Maximum tropical cyclone rainfall per state for Mexico[]

See also: List of wettest tropical cyclones by country
Mexico tropical cyclone rainfall maxima per state

On the western side of Mexico, the Sierra Madre Occidental keeps the central plateau free of excessive rainfall, as tropical cyclones originating in the Eastern Pacific Ocean rain themselves out on the upslope sides of the topography. On the eastern side of Mexico, the Sierra Madre Oriental has the same orographic effect, this time blocking tropical disturbances making landfall from the Gulf of Mexico. State maxima relating to tropical cyclones and their remnants are shown on the right, color-coded by amount.

State Rainfall
(mm)[15] 		Rainfall
(in)[15] 		Storm (Year)[15]
Aguascalientes 150.6 5.93 Eugene (1987)
Baja California 261.1 10.28 Juliette (2001)
Baja California Sur 1,010.9 39.80 Juliette (2001)
Campeche 774.4 30.49 Isidore (2002)
Chiapas 1,119.1 44.06 Frances (1998)
Chihuahua 134.9 5.31 Ismael (1995)
Coahuila 406.4 16.01 Alex (2010)
Colima 395.5 15.57 Javier (1998)
Distrito Federal 109.2 4.30 Cosme (1989)
Durango 228.1 8.98 Tico (1983)
Guanajuato 124.0 4.88 Erika (2003)
Guerrero 950.2 37.41 Dolly (1996)
Hidalgo 567.9 22.36 TD 11 (1999)
Jalisco 440.2 17.33 Javier (1998)
México 108.0 4.25 Cosme (1989)
Michoacán 525.3 20.68 Eugene (1987)
Morelos 148.3 5.84 Cosme (1989)
Nayarit 396.0 15.59 Javier (1998)
Nuevo León 890.0 35.04 Alex (2010)
Oaxaca 499.6 19.67 Pauline (1997)
Puebla 1098.0 43.23 TD 11 (1999)
Querétaro 83.1 3.27 Eugene (1987)
Quintana Roo 1576.1 62.05 Wilma (2005)
San Luis Potosí 804.9 31.69 Gert (1993)
Sinaloa 304.0 11.97 Isis (1998)
Sonora 672.0 26.46 Jimena (2009)
Tabasco 523.7 20.62 Roxanne (1995)
Tamaulipas 623.6 24.55 Keith (2000)
Tlaxcala 71.9 2.83 Eugene (1987)
Veracruz 928.9 36.57 TD 11 (1999)
Yucatán 444.0 17.48 Isidore (2002)
Zacatecas 355.6 14.00 Alex (2010)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ D. S. Gutzler, E. A. Ritchie, A. V. Douglas, and M. D. Lewis. Interannual Variability of Near-Coastal Eastern Pacific Tropical Cyclones. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  2. ^ R. W. Higgins and W. Shi. Relationships Between Gulf of California Moisture Surges and Tropical Cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Basin. Archived 2008-10-22 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  3. ^ Art Douglas and Phil Englehart. An Historical Analysis of Transient Rain Bearing Systems in the NAME Domain: The Impact of Inverted Troughs on Monsoon Rainfall. Archived 2006-10-05 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  4. ^ E. Jáuregui. Climatology of landfalling hurricanes and tropical storms in Mexico. Archived 2007-12-01 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2007-06-23.
  5. ^ Roth, David M. "Maximum Rainfall Caused By Tropical Cyclones and their remnants per Mexican state (1981-2010)". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center: Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
  6. ^ Roth, David M. "Tropical Storm Frances (1998) Rainfall Graphic". Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima (GIF). Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
  7. ^ Roth, David M. "Tropical Depression Eleven (1999) Rainfall Graphic". Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima (GIF). Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
  8. ^ Roth, David M. "Hurricane Juliette (2001) Rainfall Graphic". Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima (GIF). Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-06-08.
  9. ^ Roth, David M. "Hurricane Dolly (1996) Rainfall Graphic". Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima (GIF). Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
  10. ^ Roth, David M. "Hurricane Fifi/Orlene (1974) Rainfall Graphic". Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima (GIF). Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
  11. ^ Roth, David M. "Hurricane Alex (2010) Rainfall Graphic". Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima (GIF). Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
  12. ^ Roth, David M. "Hurricane Gert (1993) Rainfall Graphic". Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima (GIF). Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
  13. ^ Roth, David M. "Tropical Storm Hermine (1980) Rainfall Graphic". Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima (GIF). Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-06-08.
  14. ^ Roth, David M. "Hurricane Isidore (2002) Rainfall Graphic". Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima (GIF). Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b c David Roth. "Tropical Cyclone Maxima Per Mexican State" (GIF). Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Data. Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Retrieved 2007-07-21.

External links[]

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