'Winter but 38.7°C?'... Heatwave Hits South American Countries Like Chile and Argentina

As the world suffers from abnormal weather, the southern hemisphere, which corresponds to the season of 'winter,' is also experiencing unusual high temperatures.

According to major foreign media on the day, temperatures in the cities of Vicu?a and Chiginto, located in the central mountainous region of Chile, soared to 38.7 degrees Celsius on the 1st. This is the highest temperature ever recorded in Chile for August. The average temperature is said to be between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius.

On the 2nd (local time), smog caused by abnormal high temperatures is covering the city of Santiago, Chile, in the Southern Hemisphere, where winter weather should be at its peak. South American countries including Chile and Argentina have recently experienced unusual high temperatures in August, which is midwinter, due to El Ni?o (a phenomenon where sea surface temperatures near the equator in the Pacific Ocean rise) and climate change. 2023.08.03
danh2023@yna.co.kr [Image source=Yonhap News]

In Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, the average temperature in August is 14 degrees Celsius, but on the 1st, it reached 30.1 degrees Celsius. This surpassed the previous highest record by 5 degrees, setting a new all-time high temperature record. Despite being midwinter in the southern hemisphere, temperatures soared as high as in summer.

Paraguay also recorded an unusual high temperature of 37 degrees Celsius earlier this week. In the highlands of the Andes Mountains, extreme temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius were observed on the 1st. Additionally, winter abnormal high temperatures have been observed in Australia, Africa, and island regions.

The U.S. daily newspaper The Washington Post (WP) explained that a strong high-pressure system centered over Paraguay is forming a 'heat dome,' causing a heatwave in the southern hemisphere's midwinter. It also forecasted that the winter high temperatures in South America are expected to continue at least until this weekend. Concerns have been raised that if the frequency of such heatwaves increases, snow in the high mountain areas and glaciers in polar regions, which are important water sources, could melt.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.