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Can any locals help with current information?


lynski

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21 minutes ago, Xena said:

Spring is when the weather is hottest here: March, April, May, and beginning of June. Rains begin mid-June and things cool down then. Usually. 

Ditto the hot season here; March, April, May, June until the rains come and is Usually much cooler then. So, now is the time to decide if you like the weather here. Some like it hot, some like it cold, ...

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Yes those months are hot. But, they are also dry and dusty and, with no humidity, all you need to do is to find some shade and it's very comfortable. Once the rains start (and it usually only rains at night), it also cools things down considerably even though there's more humidity. 

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1 hour ago, Xena said:

Spring is when the weather is hottest here: March, April, May, and beginning of June. Rains begin mid-June and things cool down then. Usually. 

Thanks for that Xena. We'll be coming late April early May so we should get a taste of how hot it is.

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The main reason for feeling the heat more, in April-May, is that the sun is pretty much straight E-W, as are the major streets.  So....shade is hard to find on those streets. You will be wise to use wide-brimmed straw hats; easily found locally, and to wear very light and airy clothing & sturdy sandals.

Avoid the midday sun. It is siesta time, anyway, and many shops will be closed from 2-4PM.

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17 minutes ago, RVGRINGO said:

The main reason for feeling the heat more, in April-May, is that the sun is pretty much straight E-W, as are the major streets.  So....shade is hard to find on those streets. You will be wise to use wide-brimmed straw hats; easily found locally, and to wear very light and airy clothing & sturdy sandals.

Avoid the midday sun. It is siesta time, anyway, and many shops will be closed from 2-4PM.

The other reason is at 5,200 feet above sea level the sun "feels" hotter than the air temperature. Luckily there is low humidity in Central Mexico a semi-arid climate. Does being by a lake still qualify as being a low humidity/dry semi-arid climate?

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15 minutes ago, AlanMexicali said:

The other reason is at 5,200 feet above sea level the sun "feels" hotter than the air temperature. Luckily there is low humidity in Central Mexico a semi-arid climate. Does being by a lake still qualify as being a low humidity/dry semi-arid climate?

Also more powerful sun because of the curvature of the earth. Closer to the sun, the equator is the closest. This also affects the colors of things. The sunlight is a golden color, whereas in the north, the sun is more of a white silver color. This is something I have noticed, but I have never researched the why.

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1 hour ago, lynski said:

Thanks for that Xena. We'll be coming late April early May so we should get a taste of how hot it is.

These months (March, April, May, early June) we find the weather much more pleasing and comfortable in Texas, so 'we head North to Central Texas area until the rainy season starts (about middle of June). We think we get the best of both "worlds" that way. YMMD :D

 

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On 3/28/2019 at 2:16 PM, Ferret said:

I would think so, yes. I am sitting on my porch in the shade... no fan. The temperature in my house is 21 C. and the humidity is 52% right now.

Right now in San Luis Potosi it is 28 C. with 26 percent humidity and we are at 6,000 feet above sea level. 52 percent there is still low humidity. You really can't complain about high humidity until it is over about 80 percent, I think.   

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12 minutes ago, HookEmHorns said:

These months (March, April, May, early June) we find the weather much more pleasing and comfortable in Texas, so 'we head North to Central Texas area until the rainy season starts (about middle of June). We think we get the best of both "worlds" that way. YMMD :D

 

O, I thought it got hotter in West Texas than Central Mexico then.

 

28 minutes ago, CHILLIN said:

Also more powerful sun because of the curvature of the earth. Closer to the sun, the equator is the closest. This also affects the colors of things. The sunlight is a golden color, whereas in the north, the sun is more of a white silver color. This is something I have noticed, but I have never researched the why.

I thought the reason it got hotter in April, May and early June is because the sun was heading north. 

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3 hours ago, lynski said:

Thanks Lakeside 7but I'm not leaving Mexico, we are thinking of moving there for 6-8 months of the year from Montana initially. Maybe full time eventually. We are also looking at Boquete in Panama, we don't like extreme heat and humidity so are only looking at places with reasonable elevation. My dental work is extensive so I'm sure we will be there several times over summer so I can see it at its hottest there.

My error..should have been " why are you moving from Montana"?

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 3/27/2019 at 3:52 PM, lakeside7 said:

Stay in touch and share your travelogue with us 

Just booking now for two weeks in June. I don't like the heat so I want to come at the hottest time of the year to see how well I tolerate it. I'll be back several times over the next 8 months and each time we'll try a different area. 

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Now wait. The hottest month in our area used to be May, according to the travel books when we were checking them out in the late 1990s.. Travel books also said weather turned grand when the rains cooled things off in June. We came down for a trial run, weather in May and June turned out to be just as described, and we moved here in 1997. May/June weather stayed like that for years. Now indeed the hot months begin as early as March.

Now I don't want to begin any argument about global warming. Really, I'm just sayin': It's hotter earlier now than it used to be. I agree with all the positive things being said here to answer the poster's questions. However, some of you who came here 20-plus years ago, as my husband and I did, might remember the hot month of May--and not earlier--my way.  I wonder if the travel guides to living in Mexico have had to rewrite the weather. Doesn't matter to me. I'm here to stay . . . .apparently.

Lexy

 

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On 4/14/2019 at 2:36 PM, lynski said:

Just booking now for two weeks in June. I don't like the heat so I want to come at the hottest time of the year to see how well I tolerate it. I'll be back several times over the next 8 months and each time we'll try a different area. 

The first two weeks in June are hot like May is, but the last 2 weeks are cooler because of the rains.

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A few solutions to the higher temps of March, April, May and some of June:

Install a mini-split air-conditioner in the bedroom.   Now you are thinking, what about the CFE bill? 

Well, yes, there will be an increase. But if you run the a/c for only an hour a night to cool the bedroom off--the concrete walls retain the cooler temps--then you are only adding 1 kw hour a day, or 30 kw hours a month, to your bill--not enough to send you into DAC.  Then I run a floor fan for the rest of the evening, measured with a Kill-a-Meter to be 40w an hour. 

Assuming you own your home, you can make a lot of improvements to reduce the heat.  First, we repainted the imperbelizante on the roof from brick red to white.  The white reflects the sun/heat.  Using our laser digital thermometer we noticed a definite decrease in heat on the ceiling, by about 3C/6F.  This lowered the room ambient temp, too.  

Next, we hung thermal insulated curtains over all the windows. This dropped the room internal temps by another couple of degrees. 

We put at least one big potted plant in each room.  Plants respirate and decrease ambient temperature. Big potted plants (palms) outside on the terrace to filter out strong afternoon rays.

I had a local carpenter make  solid, internal shutters for my hottest windows.  Like plantation shutters, but solid.  They look great, reduce noise, and act as another insulation barrier to reduce heat. They also insulate rooms in the winter to maintain heat when we use a space heater. 

Overall the house's internal temperature now is about 73-75F, max, depending upon the room.  That is really good this time of year, considering when we bought the house it was like a sauna and averaging about 85F this same time of year. Had some serious design flaws which I changed.

All of these things cost money but then again, I am saving money by not paying to leave here for several months.

 

 

 

,

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All excellent ideas! I do not have an air conditioner and have maintained the inside temp of my house at around 73 F. inside when it's 90 F. outside. 

The thermal drapes work well but the two biggest impacts I introduced were 1 ) outside shade sails or awnings on the outside of the window to stop the sun from even hitting the windows and 2) creating a whole house venting unit from a small (9 foot square) interior courtyard. The hot air just naturally seeks the highest spot and dissipates. The glass slopes down to the south and up to the north with the small venting windows at the top of the north side. Now, the glass is covered with shade cloth and the windows are open. In the winter, I take the shade cloth off and close the venting windows. The sun provides passive solar heat gain and helps to heat the house whereas, right now, the same structure is helping to cool my house.

So far, so good.

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

Thanks for your answers everyone, it's only a couple of weeks now till we get there. I'm glad we are coming at the hottest time, I want to see the worst if we are considering moving there permanently next year. I am originally from Perth, Australia where it can be 100F and 90% humidity for months on end, then it starts warming up 🤣 so I'm sure I will be fine. I've just been spoiled for the past six years with the lovely cold, dry Montana climate. It will be interesting to experience bugs and other critters again too. We had everything imaginable in Aus. but Montana is delightfully bug free.

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19 minutes ago, lynski said:

I am originally from Perth, Australia where it can be 100F and 90% humidity.

Right now the temperature is 87 degree and humidity is 16% in the city, Guadalajara. No need for a/c.

Don't you have bugs big enough to ride in Perth?  LOL

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On 3/28/2019 at 3:09 PM, lakeside7 said:

My error..should have been " why are you moving from Montana"?

Several reasons, we moved to Montana from Australia six years ago because it was too hot in Aus. and the skiing, which we love, is really expensive with very variable conditions and a short season. Also, at the time my husband's mum, who was in Florida, was in ill health and by herself. We adore Montana but are freaked out about the current situation in the USA, too much uncertainty about too many things. I've never been very political but it is impossible to avoid here.

We also have always wanted to experience a different culture and learn a new language. Having been self employed most of our lives we hanker for a slower pace. We have never been very good vacationers, we prefer to go somewhere, stay and embrace the local community. We are considering the Chapala area, Boquete in Panama and a couple of places in Spain so we have a bit of traveling to do before we finally settle. My dental situation is pretty tragic (long story) so we will be there at least 3 - 4 times in the next nine months.

Initially we will keep our house here because we will want to come back for a few months each winter to get our skiing 'fix'. After that, who knows, we are gypsies at heart.

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3 hours ago, Tiny said:

Right now the temperature is 87 degree and humidity is 16% in the city, Guadalajara. No need for a/c.

Don't you have bugs big enough to ride in Perth?  LOL

Hahahaha, you're right there, not to mention the snakes and goannas! I won't even start on the sharks. I've been spoiled in Montana, never wear shoes at home inside or out, happily put hands and feet pretty much anywhere without even thinking of nasties. Have to be careful in the bush though, bears, lions, etc.

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1 hour ago, lynski said:

Hahahaha, you're right there, not to mention the snakes and goannas! I won't even start on the sharks. I've been spoiled in Montana, never wear shoes at home inside or out, happily put hands and feet pretty much anywhere without even thinking of nasties. Have to be careful in the bush though, bears, lions, etc.

Lots of wasps in August in Montana. Prairie rattle snakes  everywhere and scorpions in the badlands. Where do you ski there?

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I hate the heat here, it makes me cranky--and I come from Florida!  However, in Florida we lived in a air-conditioned house, went to an air-conditioned car, and then ventured into air-conditioned restaurants and stores.  In Florida's  hot and humid season--which you probably know is about May through October or November--we had relief only in the wee morning hours and late evening hours.  Opening the door after 9 in the morning was like walking into a sauna.  Here, I have several hours in the morning I can breathe freely, and even now I can get by until about 1 or 2 before I close all the windows and doors in my house to trap the cool air.  So during the worst weather  here I am not a prisoner in my own home.

We also installed a very small pool (3.5 m x 4 m and 1.5 meters deep) just to dunk in and cool off.  Now I dip into it at night, before going to bed.  When we don't use it as a pool we turn on the waterfall feature and use it as a fountain.  

Like I mentioned earlier, we also have a mini split a/c in all the bedrooms which we keep at 24 degrees, about 75, during the night. With 3 of these going every night from 9 until 4 in the morning (timers to go off)  we owe CFE (electric company) about 150 kWh thus far since April 8. We have solar panels that cover everything, like the pool pump, fountains (plural) TVs, washer, microwave, toaster oven, etc etc. but it is cheaper to owe CFE about $25 extra every year for air-conditioner use than it is to install more solar panels. 

 When you come here to visit, and assuming you look at various properties, take note of those which feel cooler than others, especially in the late afternoon, the hottest part of the day. Feel the cross-ventilation, if there is any,   See which direction the windows and doors face, watch for sunlight streaming directly into the house and heating up everything in sight.  Our house has black granite counters which suck up heat like a vacuum cleaner and radiate t from the kitchen into the dining room.  So I planted  bushes in front of the windows.  I cut the bushes back  2 feet in November, to allow the sun into the house.  Then they start to grow again in February and by May they are  tall enough to block all the sun coming in. 

Also, if you own the property you can install tejabas over the windows, awnings made of tiles (or sheets of tile laminate) on brackets which hang above the windows to block out direct sun. They look like wall shelves, kind of. Plus they shield rain from entering your open windows.

BTW I saw my earlier post on April 23 saying our internal house temps were 73-75.  Now, one month later and definitely hotter, the laser thermometer shows 78-80 inside my house during the hottest time of the day. 

In conclusion, I would say it is tolerable to remain here if you devise ways to reduce the heat in your home.  That is the most important thing:  keep your home cool.   

 

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We've owned 2 homes here; one was too warm in the hot months, the other too cold in the winter months.  I think this is common in the villages where homes are either oriented East-West or North-South on a fairly strict grid.  Luckily our hot and cold periods here are fairly short.  

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