Tamaulipas faces extreme heat wave with temperatures up to 45°C

Mexico’s northeastern state of Tamaulipas is experiencing an intense summer heat wave, known locally as the "canícula." Forecasts call for daytime highs of 40‑45 °C across the region, with heat‑index values exceeding 50 °C in cities such as Ciudad Victoria, Reynosa, Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo and Tampico. High humidity from the Gulf of Mexico, scant cloud cover and a lack of rain further amplify the heat, making the coming two‑to‑three weeks the most uncomfortable period of the summer.

The state health directorate, led by Dr. Ricardo Guerrero Morales, has issued recommendations to protect public health, urging residents to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity and seek shade. Minor rainfall of 5‑25 mm is expected in parts of Tamaulipas and neighboring states, while wind gusts of 40‑60 km/h may accompany thunderstorms. Specific temperature forecasts include a maximum of 41 °C in Nuevo Laredo, 38 °C in Reynosa, 36 °C in Matamoros and 32 °C in Tampico.

These conditions are part of a broader heat event affecting large swaths of northern and central Mexico, with similar extremes reported in Baja California, Chihuahua, Durango, Nuevo León, Coahuila and other states.