Latest news with #YucatanPeninsula
Forbes
3 days ago
- Climate
- Forbes
The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season Starts Now
Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm at the time of this NASA photograph, is pictured in the Gulf of ... More Mexico off the coast of Yucatan Peninsula. This week marks the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, a date that should resonate not only with meteorologists and emergency managers, but also with every business, homeowner and community leader along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. While the historical peak of hurricane activity arrives later in the summer, in some years, we've seen storms form well before the official start. That is why June should be considered more than a ceremonial marker, but a call to pay attention, to stay informed, and to act early. Between 2015 and 2021, the Atlantic hurricane season delivered an unprecedented string of early season named storms, each forming before the traditional June 1 start date. This stretch began with Tropical Storm Ana in May 2015 and included the extraordinary formation of Hurricane Alex in January 2016, an event that hadn't been seen since 1938. From 2015 through 2021, every season had at least one named storm form in May or even earlier, a testament to how warm waters and neutral to La Niña conditions had created a fertile environment for early development. The development of the first tropical storm of the season has transitioned back to a June or later ... More over the past three seasons. The 2025 season is also expected to have a slow start. Yet, 2022 to the present season, have signaled a break from this pattern. In 2022, Tropical Storm Alex arrived on June 5, and in 2023, Tropical Storm Arlene formed just one day into the official season on June 2. Last year took an even more notable turn, with Tropical Storm Alberto not forming until June 19, the slowest start since 2014. With 2025 continuing this trend, these later starts mark a significant shift from the previous pattern of early storms and suggest that the conditions favoring May development may be giving way to new climate signals. Strong upper-level winds, known as wind shear, have been more active in recent springs, disrupting the delicate balance that typically allows tropical systems to organize. In addition, 2023 and 2024 featured a powerful El Niño, which tends to strengthen westerly winds in the Atlantic, making early development less likely. Another very important factor in early season storm suppression are huge dust clouds from the Sahara Desert, carried across the Atlantic all the way to the United States. The latest dust storm is expected to reach the Gulf states this week. All these factors combine to illustrate that while early storm formation can offer a clue about springtime atmospheric patterns, it does not tell the whole story of a season's eventual activity. The recent shift to the first storm forming after the start of the season, compared to just a few years ago when storms regularly formed before June 1, highlights how dynamic and unpredictable hurricane forecasting can be. While the timing of the first named storm each year provides valuable insight into springtime atmospheric patterns, it does not offer a complete forecast of what the rest of the season will bring. After all, 2023 had a slow start yet ended as one of the most active seasons in memory. The real drivers of a season's intensity are the interplay of warm sea-surface temperatures, mid-summer wind shear, the Saharan dust layer reach, and the broader state of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Some of the necessary conditions for storm development are already in place. By spring, we were already seeing record warm ocean temperatures as evidenced by the earliest 90-degree water temperature reading in history at Virginia Key, Florida, just off the coast from Miami. New approaches to forecasting tropical storms are reshaping how we understand and respond to these formidable systems. The emergence of artificial intelligence models, such as Microsoft's Aurora AI project, are providing powerful tools for sifting through massive datasets and delivering more precise storm projections. This cutting-edge technology uses machine learning algorithms to find subtle patterns in atmospheric and oceanic data, offering earlier and more accurate predictions of storm development and intensification. Meanwhile, DTN, the company I work for, recently launched the Hurricane Threat Index to look beyond just wind speeds and surge at landfall. This index incorporates impacts well inland, recognizing that the heaviest rainfall and strongest winds often extend far from the coastline, as recent storms like Harvey and Florence have demonstrated. The model also elevates the importance of multiple risks associated with a hurricane. For example, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Florida's Big Bend region, but the most catastrophic impact occurred in western North Carolina after Helene weakened to a tropical storm. Within the threat index both the hurricane and subsequent flooding would rate a high severity risk and communicated as such to those potentially impacted. These advances in technology and methodology ensure that forecasts are more holistic and more relevant to the evolving risk landscape, helping decision-makers better prepare for the full range of storm threats. As the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season begins, we're reminded that storms don't always follow the patterns of the past. The seven-year stretch of early-season storms, followed by recent seasons with later starts, clearly illustrates how climate variability and long-term changes continue to reshape our understanding of risk. As we stand on the brink of this new season, let's treat June 1 not simply as a date on the calendar, but as a call to action: to plan, and to stay vigilant. In the face of nature's power, preparation remains our most effective and enduring defense.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pagdanganan among 4 tied for the LPGA lead in Mexico
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) — Bianca Pagdanganan felt right at home in the stifling heat and humidity Thursday on the Yucatan Peninsula, using her power to set up a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th for a 4-under 68 and a four-way share of the lead in the Mexico Riviera Maya Open. Pagdanganan, the 27-year-old from the Philippines, managed to hit all but two greens despite not spending much time in the fairway. Her two-putt birdie from 15 feet allowed her to join Chisato Iwai, Jenny Shin and Brianna Do. The wind was enough of a challenge on the El Camaleon course at Mayakoba. It was the heat index that became the biggest challenge and limited the scoring chances. Shin was the first to reach 68, making seven birdies but slowed with a double bogey on the 16th hole. Asked about her good start, Shin replied, 'I actually don't remember because it's so hot. I don't remember the first birdie.' But she remembered having a hot putter, mostly for birdie and a few parts. Still, it was hard getting past the stifling conditions. 'I didn't anticipate heat like this,' Shin said. 'I was really shocked when I got here. Definitely does feel like I'm in Southeast Asia. Been hydrating a lot. Drinking a lot of salted water. A lot of electrolytes. I haven't really been practicing, so I'm going to head straight to the hotel room after this.' Chisato birdied two of her last five holes, while Do got off to a superb start and was 4 under through her opening five holes. She cooled after that, with one bogey and a birdie on the 18th to claim a share of the lead. Five more players, including Hye-Jin Choi and Jenny Bae, were at 69. Charley Hull, at No. 15 in the world the highest-ranked player in the final event before the U.S. Women's Open, missed short putts down the stretch and had to settle for a 72. One of those misses came on the par-5 13th, when she hit her second shot to inside 3 feet. Pagdanganan felt at relative ease during the round. 'It felt like a pretty easy round, which honestly I haven't felt that in a while,' she said. "To be able to have that out here feels really good. I hit a lot of greens — not a lot of fairways. But I felt like it didn't matter that much to me today. I felt like I was swinging it pretty good. I had a pretty clear headspace. 'So I guess mentally and physically everything just lined up really well for me today.' It was a tough day for two of the more prominent Mexican players. Gaby Lopez, who played a role in getting the LPGA back to Mexico for the first time since 2017, had eight bogeys in her round of 79. Maria Fassi, a former NCAA champion at Arkansas, had two early birdies but struggled to a 75. Mayakoba previously hosted a PGA Tour event, and then it had a LIV Golf event last year. ___ AP golf: The Associated Press
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Pagdanganan among 4 tied for the LPGA lead in Mexico
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) — Bianca Pagdanganan felt right at home in the stifling heat and humidity Thursday on the Yucatan Peninsula, using her power to set up a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th for a 4-under 68 and a four-way share of the lead in the Mexico Riviera Maya Open. Pagdanganan, the 27-year-old from the Philippines, managed to hit all but two greens despite not spending much time in the fairway. Her two-putt birdie from 15 feet allowed her to join Chisato Iwai, Jenny Shin and Brianna Do. The wind was enough of a challenge on the El Camaleon course at Mayakoba. It was the heat index that became the biggest challenge and limited the scoring chances. Shin was the first to reach 68, making seven birdies but slowed with a double bogey on the 16th hole. Asked about her good start, Shin replied, 'I actually don't remember because it's so hot. I don't remember the first birdie.' But she remembered having a hot putter, mostly for birdie and a few parts. Still, it was hard getting past the stifling conditions. 'I didn't anticipate heat like this,' Shin said. 'I was really shocked when I got here. Definitely does feel like I'm in Southeast Asia. Been hydrating a lot. Drinking a lot of salted water. A lot of electrolytes. I haven't really been practicing, so I'm going to head straight to the hotel room after this.' Chisato birdied two of her last five holes, while Do got off to a superb start and was 4 under through her opening five holes. She cooled after that, with one bogey and a birdie on the 18th to claim a share of the lead. Five more players, including Hye-Jin Choi and Jenny Bae, were at 69. Charley Hull, at No. 15 in the world the highest-ranked player in the final event before the U.S. Women's Open, missed short putts down the stretch and had to settle for a 72. One of those misses came on the par-5 13th, when she hit her second shot to inside 3 feet. Pagdanganan felt at relative ease during the round. 'It felt like a pretty easy round, which honestly I haven't felt that in a while,' she said. 'To be able to have that out here feels really good. I hit a lot of greens — not a lot of fairways. But I felt like it didn't matter that much to me today. I felt like I was swinging it pretty good. I had a pretty clear headspace. 'So I guess mentally and physically everything just lined up really well for me today.' It was a tough day for two of the more prominent Mexican players. Gaby Lopez, who played a role in getting the LPGA back to Mexico for the first time since 2017, had eight bogeys in her round of 79. Maria Fassi, a former NCAA champion at Arkansas, had two early birdies but struggled to a 75. Mayakoba previously hosted a PGA Tour event, and then it had a LIV Golf event last year. ___ AP golf:
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
6 Amazing All-Inclusive Family Resorts in Cancun That Promise the Perfect Tropical Getaway
PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and some items may be gifted to us. Additionally, PureWow may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here. You can learn more about that process here. Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Read the original article on Purewow. Cancun has a reputation for being a spring break destination for young partying singles, but having recently visited with my tween daughter, I can say that this beautiful city on the Yucatan Peninsula has tons to offer families, too. In fact, the many luxury resorts boast so many attractions that you never even have to leave the property for a truly dreamy and fun-filled vacation. Read on for our top picks of all-inclusive family resorts in Cancun and pack your bags for a getaway that will please the whole gang. 13 Best All-Inclusive Family Resorts in Mexico Hilton Cancun Mar Caribe There's an abundance of luxury resorts in Cancun, but this is the only all-inclusive that I can personally vouch for, having stayed there just last year with my 10-year-old for a mother-daughter trip, and it did not disappoint. I highly recommend upgrading your stay to the 'enclave' level, which allows for special VIP privileges, including exclusive access to rooftop pools with stunning views and a bar that serves some of the best ceviche I have ever tasted. If you can't swing it, though, fear not—all 11 of the restaurants are amazing, the beach is pristine and the pools are designed to make a family vacation feel like a total breeze. (There's even a mini water park with multiple slides and a fun, bucket-dumping feature that kept my daughter entertained for hours…and you can watch your kid run around from the comfort of the neighboring adult pool with a swim-up bar.) Aside from the aforementioned splash pad, my daughter says the highlight of the stay was the kids' club. The warm and caring staff were amazing—the engagement was genuine, the activities were fun and exciting and she made close friends after only visiting the club a couple of times. TL;DR: Hilton Cancun Mar Caribe gets a 10/10 from me and my tween when it comes to all-inclusive resorts that cater to kids and adults alike. book now Garza Blanca Editor-in-chief Jillian Quint visited this luxury resort with her family and raved about the generously-sized rooms, gorgeous views and relaxed atmosphere. 'Here, the beach is pristine, the pools are abundant (each one calibrated to a different temperature), and the vibe is palm-tree-casual meets penthouse-luxury, with ratan chairs and woven hammocks against marble floors and gold deco flourishes,' she says. Garza Blanca Cancun is decidedly more serene than some of its hotel zone neighbors—think plush daybeds, impeccable service and a general air of low-key indulgence that makes it feel exclusive without being pretentious. Families will love the suite-style accommodations (hello, in-room washer/dryer!) and the impressive range of dining options, with everything from fresh ceviche by the pool to upscale tasting menus. The kids' club is also awesome, notes Quint. If you're looking for a refined but family-friendly escape, this one is hard to beat. book now Hard Rock Hotel Cancun The Hard Rock franchise is still going strong and happy reviewers report that their all-inclusive family resort in Cancun lives up to the hype. As you might expect from a Hard Rock hotel, this particular property has a very vibrant atmosphere, which means there's lots of lively entertainment and not necessarily peace and quiet to be found in every corner. (That said, when you're traveling with kids, it's kind of a blessing not to be the loudest guests around, right?) By all accounts, the service is stellar—particularly the butler/concierge service and a certain Jessy that gets called out left and right for making everyone's stay amazing—and the pool and beach amenities get glowing reviews as well. As with most resorts, there are some mixed reviews, but as far as I can tell, the spattering of complaints suggest that the Hard Rock vibe is kind of just a love it or hate it type of thing. book now Moon Palace-The Grand Cancun Waterpark, bowling alley, volleyball court, playrooms—Moon Palace-The Grand Cancun is, well, truly grand (and pretty much every kid's dream come true.) Indeed, there is no shortage of amenities to keep every member of the family thoroughly entertained, whilst allowing for ample adult relaxation time, including gorgeous adult-only pools where you can chill while the brood hangs out at the kids' club. While the reviews are overwhelmingly positive about everything from food to service to accommodations, it's still worth noting that a couple verified guests have called out this property for overeager salesmanship that borders on harassment…so if you choose to shell out for a spectacular experience at this resort, be sure to shut that down swiftly. bookLocated on a gorgeous peninsula and designed as a cluster of buildings that boast a village-like feel, the Hyatt Ziva Cancun is one of the most scenic properties on the list. In addition to the sweeping beachfront views and prime location, the resort also offers guests an abundance of amenities and truly exceptional dining options. There's also a kids' club, indoor play areas and regular family-friendly programming, so it's highly unlikely that anyone will complain about being bored during their stay. book nowClub Med Cancun stands out for its vibrant entertainment options and abundance of amenities. It's also great for those seeking a more active stay, since the resort offers numerous daily activities, as well as exciting excursions to nearby attractions. In other words, families will have no trouble filling their itinerary with fun, both on and off the resort. book now The 17 Best All-inclusive Family Resorts, from Los Cabos to Marrakech PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women's walking shoes that won't hurt your feet, we've got you covered.
