The 2025 Tropical Rainy and Cyclone Season began on May 15th. From that moment on, storms are technically possible in Jalisco and the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area (AMG), which means some areas of the city could flood and be potentially dangerous for residents of Guadalajara.
In the Pacific basin, 16 to 20 cyclones are expected to develop, each of which will be named, while in the Atlantic, where the cycle begins on June 1st, 13 to 17 are expected.
Of the systems forecast for the Pacific, 8 to 9 would be tropical storms; From 4 to 5, hurricanes classified as categories 1 or 2 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, and from 4 to 6, hurricanes classified as categories 3, 4, or 5. Meanwhile, in the Atlantic, 7 to 9 tropical storms are expected, along with 3 to 4 hurricanes classified as categories 1 or 2, and the same number of hurricanes classified as categories 3, 4, or 5.
Flood Risk in Guadalajara
There are various parts of the city that pose a high risk to citizens traveling through during a storm, as water levels rise suddenly for various reasons. According to experts, these areas should be avoided.
A well-known example is the Plaza del Sol area, on the border of Guadalajara and Zapopan.
According to Arturo Gleason Espíndola, a water and urban specialist at the University of Guadalajara, this is because it is located on the El Chicalote stream, which “disappeared” from its natural course when the city was urbanized. The stream originated in the La Primavera Forest, specifically in the Cerro del Colli area, and flowed toward Mariano Otero and Las Rosas, as well as Las Rosas and Faro Street.
“When construction was carried out on what is now the vicinity of the plaza, the Paseos del Sol, El Colli, La Calma, or Las Águilas areas were not paved, and the runoff caused by the paving of the streets and avenues increased due to the soil’s lack of infiltration capacity, and thus the flood level increased until it reached what we have today,” the specialist explained.
Another area at high risk for flash flooding in this municipality is Malecón Avenue, from the section that connects with Solidaridad Park to the Periférico Oriente.
Another area of concern is José María Iglesias Avenue, near Terraza Oblatos, also on the eastern side of Guadalajara, and reaching the park known as “El Triángulo.”
In all of the aforementioned cases, the canals and channels reach the Huentitán Ravine, which in turn houses the Santiago River, thus complicating the location of victims who could be swept away by the current.
There are also eight tunnels that should be avoided during the rainy season, as they are considered “high risk” in the municipality:
8 de Julio and Inglaterra
Mariano Otero and Inglaterra
Niños Héroes and Inglaterra
Lázaro Cárdenas and Mariano Otero
Federalismo and Agustín Yáñez
Héroes Ferrocarrileros and Washington
Avenida Patria and Colón
Avenida Hidalgo and Alcalde
He added that traffic should be restricted immediately at the 8 de Julio and Washington overpasses and the Niños Héroes and Inglaterra overpasses, as water levels can suddenly rise up to two meters.
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According to experts, it is important for citizens to be aware of the existence of these risk points, and above all, to take the necessary precautions so that when they detect considerable levels of water running or flowing over these sites, they opt to remain in a safe place and not try to move forward, in order to prevent anything else like what we have unfortunately seen on recent occasions from happening.
Source: informador
