Heavy rains in Chile have brought relief amid the worst drought in its history

Chile is experiencing its worst drought in history. The country is showing high levels of hydric stress due to drought and snow in the mountains, which have been declared as a “emergency”By the government for three years.

However, despite power outages caused by the strong wind, which left more than 100,000 customers without electricity, Chileans celebrated the heavy rain recorded in recent days and this led to rain gauges showing excess water in April compared to “normal” years.

The frontal system that roamed the country has a wide scope, from the southern region of Los Ríos to the Metropolitan Region, where the authorities have already formed. a water rationing plan in case it reaches critical levels of scarcity.

The rain, yes, not like before. The way it rained in Santiago changed. If in the past about 20 millimeters of rain fell in April, distributed among several showers, this Tuesday in just 10 hours the Chilean capital reported 35 millimeters of water at the feet.

James period

In Santiago, in recent hours, the Quinta Normal measurement station has accumulated 27.4 millimeters. In a normal year, its reference value is 17.5 mm.

For its part, in the foothills sector, the reference value is 19.4 millimeters, so it is widely exceeded.

In Concepción (Biobio Region, near Neuquén), about 60 millimeters of rain have fallen since last Thursday.

According to data from the Meteorological Directorate of Chile, of these values ​​the Biobío region achieved a surplus of 0.7mm in terms of rainfall, with a total of 101.4mm on the moon.

In the case of Valdivia (Los Rios, near Bariloche) the accumulated rainfall has reached 336 mm so far this year, compared to the average considered “normal”, which is 244 mm.

Even tourist attractions such as “Saltos del Laja” or “The seven cups”, which lost the flow of water, giving way to depressing images, have regained the strength that allows the unfolding of water to be re -observed in the videos reported by various users on social networks.

A dry winter?

Experts look at the phenomenon with caution. Despite the short -term comfort and how receptive the rain was, the outlook for winter is not promising at all in Chile.

Conversely, rainfall projections in the medium term make it possible to describe the situation as “an almost dry winter forecast”, by the Meteorological Directorate of the neighboring country.

From the agency they warn that forecasts are volatile in the medium and long term, therefore, phenomena can occur that are surprising and increase rainfall expectations for that period.

In the long run, the possibility of the “La Niña” phenomenon occurring in the third consecutive year, relative to the temperature of Pacific currents, has been followed with concern.

This situation causes less rainfall in Chile and in the past was less common than “Niño”, which is associated with more rainfall.

However, over the past decade the frequency of La Niña has become greater and by the end of this year it could return for the third consecutive time, something that has few points of comparison in the history of climatology since records are available.

Santiago, special

CB