Forecast for autumn in South America foresees early rains for Chile and Colombia

01/03/2016

Moist climate will be present in large portions of South America during the fall, although dryness will dominate the climate in the south and north of the continent, according to a latest AccuWeather report.

South America

The long drought that has affected Brazil will begin to give way this autumn, although the heaviest and most beneficial rains will be confined to the southern part of the country.

The season will have a wet start from Colombia to Chile, before being replaced by dry conditions the second half of the season.

Floods are expected for Bolivia, Paraguay and southern Brazil, where excessive rainfall can affect crops in the area. Depending on when it rains, it could interfere with the harvest process in the region.

The rains could be accompanied by thunderstorms and wind and floods. Some of the cities that could experience this type of storm are Santa Cruz in Bolivia, Asunción, Paraguay; Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Buenos Aires in Argentina.

On the other hand, early rains could affect from Colombia to Chile, but these will not be equally distributed during the season in these areas.

El Niño will continue to influence the climate in Chile during the fall, allowing the possibility of rain in March and April. However, as El Niño weakens, by May and June Chile will begin to experience drier than normal conditions. The exception will be southern Chile, where autumn favors a drier than normal climate during most of the season.

In the case of Santiago, last year the city received only 6 mm of rain between March and June. While the city could receive more rain this year in the same period, Santiago will probably end the season below normal, which would be 165 mm.

Most of Argentina will experience typical autumn conditions this season, with rainfall and temperatures in the normal ranges. Rain can be expected, but not to excessive levels in Paraguay.

As for Brazil, one of the worst droughts in its history will have a relief when the rains return to the country. The season will see an increase in rainfall in the southeast of the country, including the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.

The rain will help fill the water reserves that have reached critical levels since 2013. However, it is going to take more than one rainy season to end this drought.

Source: Fruit Portal