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 37ºC.

“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 450km south in Santiago: 24ºC on yesterday, with similar levels forecast for today and tomorrow.

In Buenos Aires, the temperature exceeded 30ºC on Tuesday, making it the highest August 1 temperature since record-keeping began, said Argentina’s National Meteorological Service. The average August temperature in Buenos Aires is usually between 18ºC and 9ºC.

Several cities across Uruguay recorded temperatures of 30ºC yesterday.

“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 characterised by increased Pacific Ocean temperatures, causing rainfall, floods and avalanches in western South America, as well as heatwaves.

Santiago, Buenos Aires and Montevideo are expected to return to normal temperatures in the coming days, but it is believed similar heatwaves will occur with increasing frequency.

“It is very likely the heat record will be broken this year (in Santiago), and that is extraordinarily abnormal. Ten years ago we had two heatwaves 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 water supply in Chile’s capital.

“Winter heatwaves have devastating effects on glaciers and snow,” Cordero said.

Rojas also warned about the effects of heat at the poles.

“The ice around 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.” – AFP, August 3, 2023.