Mexico tropical cyclone rainfall climatology


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

Storms track near and along the western Mexican coastline primarily between the months of July and September. These storms enhance the monsoon circulation over northwest Mexico and the southwest United States. 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. Mexico is twice as likely to be impacted by a Pacific tropical cyclone on its west coast than an Atlantic tropical cyclone on its east coast. 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.

Highest known rainfall amounts

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, Comisión Nacional del Agua.

Maximum tropical cyclone rainfall per state for Mexico

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.

StateRainfall
Rainfall
Storm
Aguascalientes150.65.93Eugene
Baja California261.110.28Juliette
Baja California Sur1,010.939.80Juliette
Campeche774.430.49Isidore
Chiapas1,119.144.06Frances
Chihuahua134.95.31Ismael
Coahuila406.416.01Alex
Colima395.515.57Javier
Distrito Federal109.24.30Cosme
Durango228.18.98Tico
Guanajuato124.04.88Erika
Guerrero950.237.41Dolly
Hidalgo567.922.36TD 11
Jalisco440.217.33Javier
México108.04.25Cosme
Michoacán525.320.68Eugene
Morelos148.35.84Cosme
Nayarit396.015.59Javier
Nuevo León890.035.04Alex
Oaxaca499.619.67Pauline
Puebla1098.043.23TD 11
Querétaro83.13.27Eugene
Quintana Roo1576.162.05Wilma
San Luis Potosí804.931.69Gert
Sinaloa304.011.97Isis
Sonora672.026.46Jimena
Tabasco523.720.62Roxanne
Tamaulipas623.624.55Keith
Tlaxcala71.92.83Eugene
Veracruz928.936.57TD 11
Yucatán444.017.48Isidore
Zacatecas355.614.00Alex