Unfortunately that is not always what we get once the rainy season
arrives. It's hurricane season and out in the Pacific tropical
depressions and storms are continually forming. Most past harmlessly by,
others give us a good soaking. But hurricanes happen.
May 15 marks the beginning of 2003 Hurricane Season. The head of the state Civil Protection agency Ing. Héctor González Hernández says the prognostication for this season in our part of the Pacific, given the presence of the "el niño" phenomenon (and based on an analysis of past weather patterns) is as follows: 15 weather fronts important enough to be named and that could threaten the Oaxacan coast and the Isthmus. Of these four could reach the intensity of force 1 or 2 hurricane (with winds between 118 and 177 Km per hour); two hurricanes between force 3 and 5 (winds up to 250 Km/h); The remaining nine would fall into the category of tropical storms.
Since Hurricanes Paulina and Rick smacked into the Oaxacan coast in 1997, the state of Oaxaca has aggressively fostered a culture of civil protection. (See more on disaster preparedness on Page 18.)
During hurricane season (May 15 to Nov. 30), an elaborate system of storm tracking, using all available national and international meteorological resources, goes into permanent effect.
Data gathered is transmitted to the National System of Civil Protection which issues bulletins to the news media every six hours, if there's a tropical depression more than 500 Km from the Mexican coast. Once a storm develops within that 500 Km, bulletins are issued every three hours.
Puerto Escondido now has its own regional office of the state Civil Protection Agency, responsible for local advisories and implementing emergency measures, if necessary.
Radio Esmeralda, the local FM radio station (at FM94.1), has excelled at keeping the community informed in emergency situations. (They also offer regular bulletins in English.) If you are in an area susceptible to flooding and are advised to leave, emergency shelters will be available. Otherwise, stay calm, stay in your hotel. Keep important documents at hand, protected in waterproof bags, pack in some food, water, candles, radio and batteries and wait it out.
But be aware that during normal storms, huge amounts of rain can fall in a very short period of time and those previously dry creek beds can convert into raging torrents. Be very careful in crossing these on foot; even if you don't get swept away, they frequently carry heavy debris that can cause serious injury.
If you are driving, take it slow and watch out for washouts and mud slides.
This is the list of names for the storms that might threaten the Pacific coast of México this year:
| Andres | Blanca | Carlos | Dolores | Enrique |
| Felicia | Guillermo | Hilda | Ignacio | Jimena |
| Kevin | Linda | Marty | Nora | Olaf |
| Patricia | Rick | Sandra | Terry | Vivian |
| Waldo | Xina | Zelda | ||