Who is Tláloc?

Fountain of Tláloc, Parque de Chapultepec, Section II, CDMX, Mexico-photo by JennyRose

You want to be sure to pack your raincoat, sweater, umbrella and rain boots if you plan to visit Mexico City between the months of May until about October. That is the time Tláloc, the Aztec god of rain, works his magic.

You can usually count on rain daily during those months. The mornings are usually fresh and dry, the afternoons the sun will shine and can get warm, and then usually around 3 pm some rain clouds might start approaching and by 5 pm a proper thunderstorm with torrential rains will ensue.

This is how days usually pass during rainy season. Although, the past few years the rainy season has changed and does not always happen in this way. Another thing, too, is hurricane season occurs during the summer months as well. Days can often be gray and rainy all day when there are hurricane systems in the Atlantic or Pacific.

This year of 2025 you will see the name of Tláloc in the news attributing his mighty powers to the inundation of water the city has been experiencing this year. And who is this Tláloc, Aztec god of rain? According to AI he was a significant deity in the Aztec pantheon. He is associated with both life-giving rain and destructive storms and floods. He was also linked to the earth, harvests and mountains.

He is often depicted with goggled eyes, fangs, and a headdress of feathers or paper.  Tláloc was a major deity, with temples dedicated to him and rituals, including human sacrifices, performed in his honor. 

You can also check out the Fuente de Tláloc, which is a work by Diego Rivera that honors the god of water in Parque Chapultepec, Section II in Mexico City.

photos by Jenny Rose