Posted 21-Aug-2016
Today the country is experiencing one of the longest and most geographically extensive droughts in its history, which has nearly eight years in some sectors, and extends from the Coquimbo to the La Araucania region. Experts estimate that in the future these cycles would increase. According to an analysis by the Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR2) in 2015, these mega-droughts will become more common, occurring in Chile every 20 years by 2050 if emissions continue to increase greenhouse gases.
To date, 17 of the 22 stations of the Meteorological Direction of Chile (DMC) present below normal precipitation amounts. Coyhaique (45ºS) is the one with the most extreme situation. There, the precipitation is around 220 mm, far from normal to date according to the climatological period 1981-2010, which is 884.5 mm, resulting in a deficit of 75%. The level of rainfall is the lowest registration for the area (starting in 1960), although it is projected that in the next three months rains occur within the normal range indicates Catalina Cortes, meteorologist at DMC. However, it should end the year in deficit.
For more information please visit: Megasequía se expande hacia el sur del país
