GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Civil Protection authorities have issued an emergency alert across the state of Jalisco following the official formation of Tropical Storm Boris in the Pacific Ocean. The storm’s arrival threatens to bring severe weather to western Mexico just as the region prepares to welcome international crowds for the kickoff of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
According to Mexico’s National Meteorological Service (SMN), the storm intensified from a tropical depression early Monday morning. Boris is currently tracking roughly 135 kilometers southeast of Acapulco, Guerrero. While the storm’s eye is not projected to make a direct landfall on Jalisco, its massive outer cloud bands are already churning substantial moisture over the country’s western coastline.
Meteorologists forecast torrential rainfall for Jalisco, with cumulative totals expected to reach between 75 and 150 millimeters. Coastal areas are bracing for sustained wind gusts reaching 50 to 70 kilometers per hour and dangerously high waves peaking between 3 and 4 meters. Experts are particularly concerned by Boris’s exceptionally sluggish forward speed of just 4 kilometers per hour, which exponentially amplifies the risk of rapid soil saturation, localized flooding, and landslides in mountainous regions.
The severe weather system is directly overlapping with the highly anticipated opening week of the World Cup. While the host city of Guadalajara is primarily expected to experience sudden intervals of heavy downpours rather than full-scale tropical storm conditions, local organizers and tournament officials are keeping a close watch on the system.
With thousands of tourists beginning to touch down in the state capital ahead of Thursday’s opening fixtures, authorities are urging both residents and international soccer fans to stay highly informed. Civil Protection has advised the public to strictly monitor official weather bulletins and plan travel cautiously to avoid sudden traffic disruptions or flooded roadways.
Source: Informador
