The Mango Express (Weather Update)

Remember a few weeks ago when drought stricken California was deluged and rain came down in buckets? Perhaps you saw news clips of people kayaking down residential streets and super market parking lots. Desert climate Phoenix also got the wet stuff, and even had flood watches.

That all originated near Hawaii and a weather condition called the Hawaiian Express carried it all the way to the mainland. We've talked about the Express before in our Weather Updates and it gets huge play in the media, as it brings rain to traditionally dry areas. However there is another almost identical weather pattern in Mexico which gets mentioned. We're going to change that now, and talk about what will henceforth be dubbed the "Mango Express."

The Hawaiian Express consistently originates along the 21st parallel and travels more or less at a 30% angle toward the West Coast. The Mango Express originates much farther south near the equator, so a 30% path sends it into Mexico. The key difference between the Island version of the Express and it's Latin cousin?

The Mango Express can be greatly affected by a separate weather pattern which creates high pressure over Idaho and Utah. The pressure spins clockwise and tracks incoming northern winter storms higher. So B.C., Oregon, and Washington get lots of rain or snow, while California and Arizona stay dry and warm.

On the south extremity of its' influence that same pressure pushes clear and dry desert air down toward Maz, which in turn pushes the Mango Express to, or below, Puerto Vallarta. So in the winter Mazatlan stays warm and clear for weeks at a time.

So why did I go into this long explanation? Two reasons.

1. It will give context to our concer about rain for Christmas

2. This can be used as a primer to explain why Maz has such a big swing in seasons. From 30" inches of rain in just three months of summer, to less than 1" inch seven months between middle of November and the middle of June

Look at this world view and you'll see what we're talking about:

http://www.weatherimages.org/data/imag6.html

Note: This link is in real time and your view will only be relative to our discussion for about 24 hours or so

In the North Pacific see those two big storm fronts? One goes from Japan to the Aleutian Islands, and the other runs from south of Hawaii to British Columbia. Expect Canada and the US to have some back to back winter "excitement."

Now look way down south and you'll see our Mango Express coming up from the equator through Southern Mexico and across the Gulf to Florida.

Last week the Mango branch of the Express family was tracking at its' northern limit, and pushing overcast into Maz. Then high pressure pushed it south so we've had several straight days of glorious clear weather.

Now go back to our world view and do you see all the beautiful blue space from running west from Maz almost to Hawaii? Once the rain threat for Christmas clears, that clear blue is in store for Maz, but Mango is still in the vicinity lurking.

So we can look for an alternating series of gorgeous blue, then Mango fringe moving up to brush against Mazatlan. We're only talking some clouds friends, and overall I'll bet you love the weather for New Years' week.

Expect highs to remain right at our 80 degree plus benchmark (27 C.), and lows to drop only a smidge to jus at or below 60 (15 C.) You can also expect the pattern of calm winds to remain, with maybe a day or getting barely to double digits. So even if you are under some overcast skies, the air should still feel quite warm on your skin.

Any rain that does fall is likely to come on Christmas night, and overall on a scale of ten I predict no worse than 8.5. If Mango likes decides P.V. is the place to hang? Then we'll bump that up to 9.5! Have a great time on your trip, and if you're still bearing with winter and not there yet? Hang in there, it won't be long....;^).