Cold, white Christmas forecast in some areas Heavy rain forecast this weekend in Nuevo León

Cold, white Christmas forecast in some areas

Heavy rain forecast this weekend in Nuevo LeónMexico News Daily | Friday, December 15, 2017

Weather forecasters are predicting a white — and cold — Christmas in northern regions of Mexico.

Residents of Nuevo León in particular are in for a rare meteorological phenomenon that is expected to bring more than three times the normal December rainfall this weekend alone.

A strong winter storm, the presence of cold front No. 16 and high humidity will all converge on the northern state to deliver more rainfall in two days than what is historically registered throughout the month.

Average rainfall in December is between 15 and 20 millimeters, forecaster Abimael Salas Garza told the newspaper Milenio, but 30 to 60 millimetres is expected throughout the state today and tomorrow.

In some regions, he said, especially in mountain areas, rainfall is expected to be over 60 millimeters.

Conditions are expected to improve beginning Sunday.

Snow is also in the forecast but unlike last week it is only expected above the 1,500-meter level.

“But it is important to point out that in those mountains above 3,000 meters, in [the Nuevo León municipalities of] Galeana, Santa Catarina, Santiago, and Arteaga, Coahuila, there could be over 50 centimeters of snow,” Salas said.

Temperatures across the country are rising after last week’s cold front and winter storm, but conditions are expected cool again by the 24th or 25th, just in time for the Christmas celebrations.

An official with the National Meteorological Service said that even though temperatures will be higher in the coming days throughout the country, “we must take into consideration that this is winter and mornings and nights will continue to be cold.”

Still, there will be a few days of respite from the below-freezing temperatures, said Jesús Carachure Bautista. In Mexico City, for example, low temperatures are expected to range between 0 and 5 degrees, “not below zero, as was recorded on Sunday and Monday.”

But staring December 24, temperatures will start to drop again, bringing snow to northern Mexico, especially in the states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango and San Luis Potosí.