Heat Early Warning System in Mexico: Current status and recommendations
This case study examines the current state of Mexico’s heat early warning system, including how heat risk is understood and monitored, and how warnings are issued, communicated and acted upon across institutions. It finds that knowledge of heat risk is growing, but is unevenly translated into early warning and decision-making. While recent improvements to the National Meteorological Service’s heatwave methodology have strengthened regional monitoring, challenges remain in accounting for Mexico’s diverse climatic and geographic conditions, reaching vulnerable groups with targeted warnings, and translating forecasts into preparedness and action. The case study also highlights that preparedness and response remain largely seasonal and reactive, with responsibilities for heat warnings spread across multiple agencies and no single legally mandated lead institution or dedicated national framework for heat.
It complements the global report Understanding the Global Landscape of Heat Early Warning Systems and is part of a series of case studies across eight countries in the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance. Together, the case studies apply a common analytical framework to assess heat early warning systems and identify good practices, gaps and enabling conditions for people-centred, impact-based early warnings for extreme heat.