The first snowfall of the 2025-2026 season fell in Ensenada, Baja California, and La Rosilla, Durango, during the early mornings of November 20 and 21, driven by Front Frío 16 and the first winter storm. Temperatures dropped to -11.5 °C in La Rosilla, blanketing areas with up to two centimeters of snow. Authorities activated alerts and shelters amid the extreme cold.
The weather event was most intense in Parque Nacional Sierra de San Pedro Mártir, in Ensenada, where altitudes exceed 3,000 meters and favored light to moderate snowfall. Images from the Comisión Nacional del Agua (Conagua) show pines blanketed in white and frozen trails, with temperatures down to -6 °C according to the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN).
In La Rosilla, known as Mexico's 'freezer,' snow reached a layer of nearly two centimeters, and the thermometer hit -11.5 °C. The event also affected Ciénega de la Vaca, in Guanaceví municipality. Roberto Delgado Gallegos, Conagua's local director, warned of more snow or sleet in Guanaceví communities and serrano municipalities like Santiago Papasquiaro, Tepehuanes, Topia, and Canelas.
The interaction of Front Frío 16, a polar trough, and a subtropical jet stream caused these conditions in northwest and northern Mexico. Durango's Protección Civil activated 88 shelters for vulnerable populations and advised avoiding nighttime rural road travel, protecting pipes, livestock, and vehicles. In Baja California, they alerted to possible closures on park access roads due to ice and fog.
For Saturday, November 22, strong rains are forecast in Baja California, Sonora, and Chihuahua, with snow in mountainous areas. Very strong frosts could reach -10 °C in sierras. On Sunday, November 23, snow risk persists in Chihuahua, with showers in the north and northeast.
In Mexico City, cold arrived with lows of 4 to 6 °C in boroughs like Milpa Alta and Tlalpan, under a Yellow Alert from the Secretaría de Gestión Integral de Riesgos y Protección Civil.
