- Title: MEXICO: Snowfall on mountains surrounding Mexico City
- Date: 9th January 2010
- Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (JANUARY 8, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SNOW ON MOUNTAIN TOP CHILDREN PLAYING IN SNOW SNOW FALLING / PINE TREES VARIOUS OF CHILDREN PLAYING IN SNOW (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VERONICA HERNANDEZ, SAYING: "Really nice. We brought our children because we had already come five years ago when there was an impressive snowfall and now we brought them. They had not seen it before." MORE OF CHILDREN PLAYING IN SNOW (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CUTBERT O DE LA ROSA, SAYING: "Right now it's snowing. This is snow and that's what fascinates us, when it snows I think it's really lovely. We can see rain but not always snow." TAXI DRIVER LEAVING WITH SNOWMAN ON CAR BONNET MORE OF CHILDREN PLAYING IN SNOW POLICEMEN PREVENTING CAR DRIVERS TO DRIVE UP TO MOUNTAIN SNOW CAPPED MOUNTAIN CARS AND SNOW CAPPED MOUNTAIN SEEN IN BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 24th January 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Mexico
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Weather
- Reuters ID: LVA81WK46FO7S8NBYF5K7TLT3TXH
- Story Text: Snow fell on the mountains surrounding Mexico City at dawn on Friday (January 8) as other Mexican cities saw temperatures below freezing and recorded light rains.
The cold front edging slowly southward from the United States and Canada, combined with a current of humid air from the Pacific Ocean also prompted rainfall with cloudy skies in Mexico City.
There is a possibility of more snow on the mountains of the central plains above 3,900 meters (12,795 feet).
TV images showed snow falling on the Ajusco mountains to the south of the capital, which are around 3,900 meters high (12,795 feet).
Families in Mexico City traveled to the Ajusco to enjoy the unusual snowfall.
Children - some who had never seen snow before - played in it and built snowmen. Temperatures fell to as low as 28F (-2C) here.
"Really nice. We brought our children because we had already come five years ago when there was an impressive snowfall and now we brought them. They had not seen it before," said Mexico City resident Veronica Hernandez whose children played in the snow.
Snow is not uncommon at high altitudes in Mexico during the winter season but residents in the capital city of Mexico are accustomed to 80F (26C) afternoons. For many, snow is something of a novelty.
"Right now it's snowing. This is snow and that's what fascinates us, when it snows I think it's really lovely. We can see rain but not always snow," a thrilled taxi driver Cutberto de la Rosa told Reuters.
Some built snowmen on their car bonnets which fell as soon as they drove off.
Winters in Mexico are usually lenient. Temperatures rarely drop below freezing, the sun shines intensely during December, January and February and humidity is low.
At midday, police closed off access to the mountain range to avoid accidents due to icy road conditions.
Local authorities said low temperatures will continue at the weekend.
The cold front also brought frosts to much of northern Mexico where temperatures were largely below zero celsius. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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