Far away from the extreme summer temperatures of the northern hemisphere, Southern Cone countries such as Chile and Argentina are also experiencing record heat, but in the middle of what is supposed to be their winter.
On Tuesday, the mountain town of Vicuna in central Chile hit 37 degrees Celsius (almost 99 degrees Fahrenheit).
"It's been more than 70 years since a temperature like this was recorded" in Vicuna, Chilean meteorologist Cristobal Torres told AFP.
Unusually high temperatures were also recorded 450 kilometers (280 miles) south in the capital Santiago: 24C (75F) on Wednesday, with similar levels forecast for Thursday and Friday.
Meanwhile in Buenos Aires, the temperature exceeded 30C (86F) on Tuesday, making it the highest August 1 temperature since record-keeping began, according to Argentina's National Meteorological Service. The average August temperature in Buenos Aires is usually between 18C (64F) and 9C (48F).
Several cities across Uruguay also recorded temperatures of 30C (86F) on Wednesday.
"What we are experiencing is the combination of two phenomena: a global warming trend due to climate change plus the El Nino phenomenon," said Chile's Environment Minister Maisa Rojas, a climatologist.
"When El Nino ends, the global weather situation should stop being so extreme," she said.
An El Nino event is characterized by increased Pacific Ocean temperatures, causing rainfall, floods and avalanches in western South America, as well as heat waves.
Santiago, Buenos Aires and Montevideo are expected to return to normal temperatures in the coming days, but it is believed that similar heat waves will occur with increasing frequency.
"It is very likely that the heat record will be broken this year (in Santiago), and that is extraordinarily abnormal. Ten years ago we had two heat waves a year and now we are talking about nine," explained University of Santiago climatologist Raul Cordero.
One of the most significant impacts of the warm weather is on snowpacks in the mountains, which are vital for the water supply in Chile's capital.
"Winter heat waves have devastating effects on glaciers and snow," Cordero said.
Rojas also warned about the effects of heat at the poles.
"The ice around the polar areas is at minimum levels," she said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Especially around Antarctica, where at this time of year sea ice grows to reach a maximum in September, it is at a historic minimum."
© 2023 AFP
12 Comments
falseflagsteve
Phew! What a scorcher.
Seems like the old Mercury is rising worldwide doesn’t it.
Time for the world to get nuclear power stations up and running to reduce the use of fossil fuels etc.
Boffins also need to do proper work rather than make cash from sill green ideas that are not economically viable yet. Maybe in two decades but not yet, you see.
virusrex
The science is very clear that human activity derived climate change is affecting temperatures in a way that is not observed naturally, by now people that baselessly claim there is nothing to worry and that climate change is not a consequence of human activity are hopelessly out of touch with reality. Daily reports of the serious effects on the globe are simply too serious to expect people to ignore them.
cuddly
In contrast to your personal belief and opinion, the article and experts mention a natural cause:
"When El Nino ends, the global weather situation should stop being so extreme," she said.
ifd66
"When El Nino ends, the global weather situation should stop being so extreme,"
El Niño comes on average every 4~7 years.
The last one was the 3rd hottest year ever recorded (2019) and the one before that the hottest year ever recorded (2016).
And this lasted one - on course for the hottest year ever recorded.
So yes, El Niño is a natural event but CLEARLY being made more extreme by the human climate crisis.
ifd66
"this lasted one": ...latest one...
virusrex
No personal belief, the article makes it perfectly clear this is not just a natural phenomenon but it is being directly affected by human activity derived climate change.
It is even there in the text I quoted, with the expert climatologist contradicting your baseless claim of the contrary, there is no problem quoting it again.
a global warming trend due to climate change plus the El Nino phenomenon
He even made the point to mentioning climate change first.
gcFd1
The experts contradict your personal belief:
"When El Nino ends, the global weather situation should stop being so extreme,"
Also, the area has seen such heat before:
"It's been more than 70 years since a temperature like this was recorded"
virusrex
No they don't, the contribution of human contribution derived climated change is what make the extreme eventes to important and frequent, if not that would be the norm every time el nino was present, which is obviously not the case.
You have presented exactly zero experts that the climate change have no role in these events, that is completely your own unsupported claim. You have still not brougth any reference where any expert climate change had no contribution.
gcFd1
Yes they do.
"When El Nino ends, the global weather situation should stop being so extreme," she said.
virusrex
No they don't, el nino is only one contribution, you still have brought zero references that say climate change have no role on these extreme events, zero, nil, none.
gcFd1
No matter how much you troll here, the fact is the experts in the article note the effect of the natural event of El Niño.
If you read the article you would see that.
virusrex
You keep attacking and insulting others instead of using arguments, that clearly shows how you now understand your position is not correct.
Still zero references that says climate change has no role.