Introduction to Querétaro’s Drought Situation
Querétaro, a state in central Mexico, has experienced significant improvement in its drought conditions following rainy weather in May and June. The state closed out June with 100% of its territory free from both abnormal dryness and any of the four categories of drought, according to the second-quarter report from the Monitor de Sequía de México (MSM).
Historical Context
This favorable situation has not been observed since the first half of September 2021, marking over three years without such positive developments. The Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA) has documented these changes.
Querétaro’s Standing Among Other Entities
Querétaro is one of ten entities that maintained 100% of their territory without drought impacts during the first half of 2023. The others include Aguascalientes, Colima, Ciudad de México, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Estado de México, Morelos, Oaxaca, and Tlaxcala.
Drought Conditions in Querétaro’s Municipalities
Prior to June, Jalpan de Serra and Landa de Matamoros, located in the sierra region, experienced anomalously dry conditions. However, by mid-June, both municipalities exited this category.
From April 15 to May 15, 17 out of the 18 municipios in Querétaro were affected by moderate drought, with Arroyo Seco experiencing anomalously dry conditions. By mid-May, only Landa de Matamoros remained with moderate drought conditions.
Intensified Rainfall in June
Querétaro received 163.2 mm of rainfall in June, making it the wettest month of 2023 so far. The state began the year with minimal rainfall: 3.4 mm in January, 8.2 mm in February, 0.4 mm in March, and 0.4 mm in April. May saw 73.9 mm of rainfall.
CONAGUA reported that, during the second half of June, most regions in Mexico experienced above-average rainfall. This was due to multiple meteorological systems, including the tropical storm Dalia and hurricane Flossie. These weather events contributed to a decrease in drought-affected areas.
However, some northern and northwestern regions experienced below-average rainfall, leading to persistent moderate to exceptional drought conditions.
Current Drought Status in Mexico
As of now, 63.8% of Mexico is drought-free, while 14.4% experiences anomalously dry conditions. Additionally, 8.5% faces moderate drought, 6.1% severe drought, 4.7% extreme drought, and 2.5% exceptional drought.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the current drought situation in Querétaro? Following rainy weather in May and June, Querétaro has largely emerged from severe drought conditions.
- Which other Mexican entities share similar drought-free status with Querétaro? Aguascalientes, Colima, Ciudad de México, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Estado de México, Morelos, Oaxaca, and Tlaxcala also have 100% of their territories free from drought impacts.
- What factors contributed to the improvement in Querétaro’s drought situation? Rainfall during May and June, influenced by weather systems like tropical storm Dalia and huracán Flossie, played a crucial role in mitigating drought conditions.
- What is the current overall drought status in Mexico? While 63.8% of the country is drought-free, various regions still face different levels of drought conditions ranging from moderate to exceptional.
