South America sizzles in record-breaking winter heatwave
South America is experiencing an extraordinary winter heatwave, with temperatures soaring to near 40 degrees Celsius in some areas, leaving climate scientists “flabbergasted” and “shocked”.
The heatwave, which experts say is driven by a combination of climate change and El Niño, a weather phenomenon that causes warmer-than-usual waters in the Pacific Ocean, has affected several countries in the region, including Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil.
Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, recorded its hottest 1 August in 117 years, while several weather stations in Chile reached temperatures above 35C on the same day. Vicuna, a mountain town in the Chilean Andes, even topped 100 F this week.
Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, a climate scientist at the University of New South Wales, said she was “flabbergasted” by the extreme temperatures.
“It’s reported that Buenos Aires has had the hottest start to August on record and has shattered its previous record by over 5 degrees. That margin is phenomenal,” she said.
“This is happening during the austral winter. To put it into context, it’s like Sydney experiencing a 30-degree day this time of year — something that is beyond extraordinary.”
Maximiliano Herrera, a climatologist and weather historian, called the heatwave “one of the most extreme events the world has ever seen”.
“For its duration, area, and intensity, it’s probably the worst winter heatwave in the Southern Hemisphere,” he said.
He said the heatwave was comparable to the prolonged heat experienced in Europe during July, despite being the middle of winter.
“South America is living one of the most extreme events the world has ever seen, unbelievable temperatures up to 38.9C in the Chilean Andine areas in mid-winter,” he wrote on social media.
“[This is] much more than what southern Europe just had in mid-summer at the same elevation.”
The heatwave is expected to last for at least five more days, with no relief in sight, and could have serious impacts on ecosystems, agriculture and human health in the region.
Raúl Cordero, a climate expert from the University of Santiago, told La Tercera newspaper that as far as temperatures and rainfall were concerned, “Chile’s winter is disappearing”.
“We are having these types of warm episodes more frequently, but they are also more intense heat waves,” he said.
“Climate change ensures these records are broken more and more frequently.”
The heatwave comes as politicians prepare to gather in the Brazilian city of Belém for a major summit about the future of the Amazon rainforest and the climate emergency.
The event’s host, Brazil’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said the summit would represent a “landmark” moment for efforts to fight global heating before the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai in late 2023.
Relevant articles:
- Mid-winter temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius in South America leave climatologists in disbelief, ABC News, 4 August, 2023
- ‘Winter is disappearing’: South America hit by ‘brutal’ unseasonal heatwave, The Guardian, 3 August, 2023
- A Chilean town hit 100F this week: What’s behind South America’s balmy winter?, NBC News, 3 August, 2023
- Climate scientist is disbelief as temperatures soar to 37 degrees in South America, in the middle of its winter, Head Topics, 4 August, 2023
Originally published at https://trendydigests.com on August 4, 2023.
I am a tech writer for Trendy Digests, a website that provides insightful and informative content in various fields. I write about topics such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and more. I also often share great articles written by other Trendy Digest editors on Medium.
You can follow me on TrendyDigests.com to read more of my articles and learn more about me.
