There is no weather in beautiful downtown Catemaco. Neither is there weather in Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz.
I have no idea how the natural disaster agencies of the state of Veracruz religiously declare assorted municipios, including Catemaco, disaster zones. They must be using fortune teller crystal balls, or possibly have a direct line to local brujos, because there is not one single weather station in Los Tuxtlas.
And Los Tuxtlas have such wonderful variations as 2 to 5+ meters ( 6-18 feet) of annual rain, and storms often just below hurricane strength.
I am amazed that Yahoo, and assorted other websites, list weather reports for Catemaco, San Andres Tuxtla, and other usually weather impaired places in Los Tuxtlas.
The closest rain counters are in Minatitlan/Coatzacoalcos and Veracruz city. Both several hours distant. The former dozen weather stations around Los Tuxtlas were closed in the early 1990's because of budget cuts. There is a radar station near Alvarado, which apparently lacks the budget to turn on the electricity for more than a few days a month.
This shortage of weather information not only affects Los Tuxtlas. The large urban area of Cordoba, Orizaba also lacks adequate information.
Los Tuxtlas have a unique weather pattern because of the height of its gulf shore volcanoes which disrupt the Gulf of Mexico air flow. And while the sun may be shining in Veracruz or Minatitlan, the inhabitants of Los Tuxtlas scurry to save their belongings from torrential rain or howling winds.
Simple automated weather stations are available for less than 1,000 dollars. One would think the Reserva Biologica de Los Tuxtlas, or the Estacion Biologica de Los Tuxtlas, or even one of the local municipios or even one of the local newspapers could afford to buy and maintain one of those instruments.
Needless to say, locals listen to the Veracruz state weather reports, and half the time, haul their lanchas on shore without attending storms, and the local farmers huddle around their milpas while the sun is shining.
That is ok. The municipal presidents are experts at declaring their counties disaster areas: come rain or come shine.
