The National Water Commission reported that, until January 15, 2025, around 290 municipalities in the country are in some condition of drought from moderate to critical. The rains caused by cold fronts, the second winter storm, and the arrival of 'Norte' events helped reduce areas of drought in Mexico, mainly in the western localities of Chihuahua and Durango, as well as in the border area between Nayarit, Jalisco, and Zacatecas.
The Drought Monitor of Mexico also indicates that the states located in the north of the country, such as Baja California, Sonora, Sinaloa, and Coahuila, saw their drought levels increase; some areas went from moderate to extreme.
According to the Conagua report, about 32 municipalities reported critical drought, and another 79 localities are facing extreme drought. The 2024-2025 cold season in Mexico has not yet ended, but the hot season is approaching, which is likely to cause havoc in the main basins and dams of the country.
Fabian Vázquez Romaña, director of the National Meteorological Service, mentioned that it is expected that droughts in the country will end by mid-May. Once the cold front season ends in Mexico, the first heat waves of 2025 are expected to begin between March and April, coinciding with the arrival of spring. During this period, temperatures are expected to increase significantly, mainly in northern states such as Sonora, Sinaloa, and Baja California, where extreme temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius are predicted.
The impacts are concentrated in five states: Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Sonora, Durango, and Coahuila. Critical drought, also known as exceptional drought, is characterized by widespread crop and livestock loss, extreme depletion of aquifers, and the imposition of mandatory restrictions on water use for human and industrial consumption.
According to data from the Conagua Drought Monitor, 65 percent of the municipalities in the national territory face some degree of drought. The dry season in Mexico began in late November of last year. Additionally, the 'La Niña' phenomenon is expected to worsen the water shortage, prolong the drought in Mexico, and increase the risk of wildfires.
