Kat's Korner

San Felipe Time

Monday 8 February 2010

The El Nino weather system has been growing in intensity for many weeks now. The strong rainstorms that have hit Southern California and the Pacific coast of Baja are not yet over. More rain in these regions is likely this week as the jet stream dips low over the Pacific ocean and brings moisture that is hovering over the warm waters around the equator towards continental America.

The NOAA picture above shows the very warm water stretching from Australia and Indonesia on the left to the Coast of Central America. This has given rise to flooding in the Macchu Pichu area of Peru, stranding thousands of tourists, and is contributing to heavy rains and storms all along the Pacific coast. Fortunately, we have had only modest amounts of rain in San Felipe so far but we badly need more precipitation in the mountains to our west in order to recharge our fragile aquifer.

While nobody is happy with the current halt in economic development of our region, it does give us a chance to re-evaluate what our position is for the future and, perhaps, rein in some of the excessive water use that is contemplated.

Other recent news:

Over the past weekend, a trailer truck headed to Mexicali from San Felipe was stopped at the military checkpoint at the Ensenada Road junction and discovered to be carrying over 12 tons of marijuana. An impressive photograph of the haul can be seen in this picture in La Voz. It is believed that this is the largest haul of drugs ever made in this region. The driver of the truck was carrying some 5000 pesos, possibly to use as a bribe; he was detained for questioning.

The government raised the IVA tax rate for Baja from 10% to 11% as part of the new austerity program to keep social programs operating during the recession. Gasoline prices have also risen and regular unleaded now costs 7.96 peso/liter, premium costs 9.70p/l and diesel 8.05 p/l. Inflation in Mexico this year is likely to be around 6%.

The Baja California state records office is seeing a 34% increase in demand over this time last year for birth certificates and other official documents needed for citizens to get a Mexican passport and to apply for a US laser visa. Surveys by the Pew Research Center have indicated that a majority of Mexicans would emigrate to the USA if they could get permission to work there.

The US Department of Homeland Security has informed the President of the United States that they believe a terrorist attack on the homeland is certain to occur in the next six months. No basis for this testimony has been made public but already, in San Diego county, checkpoints are becoming more vigilant on local highways. A side effect has been record confiscations of loads of drugs in trucks, vans and cars during the past ten days. It seems likely that the border crossing inspections at the US-Mexican border will increase in thoroughness and result in even longer waiting times. (TC)

previous months news - Kitesurfing in the windy months, the South Campos land problems, strange fish at Bahia Santa Maria, moving the fisherman statue from the Malecon, rains of the week of 18 January.

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