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A new heat wave will affect central-southern Chile this weekend

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Chilean authorities are on alert due to a new heat wave that will extend across much of the country this weekend, reaching as far as Patagonia and peaking on Sunday with temperatures up to 38°C.

This was reported by the Meteored website, where they explained that warm air is expected to rise from the north to Patagonia this Friday and Saturday. Thanks to the beneficial effect of the ocean, coastal areas will experience less oppressive temperatures, while inland valleys in the central-south zone will reach between 32 and 34°C.

On Sunday, the situation will become even more severe, particularly from the Valparaíso region to the Bío Bío region. San Felipe is expected to reach 36°C, Santiago will see a high of 35°C, and Talagante and Paine will hit 37°C.

The heat will intensify further south in the O'Higgins and Maule regions, with Talca, San Javier, and the communes of Las Cabras and San Vicente de Tagua Tagua reaching 38°C.

In the Ñuble region, typically hot summer cities like Chillán and Bulnes will hover around 36°C, while in the Bío Bío region, the communes of Laja and Cabrero will approach 35°C.

However, this phenomenon will also extend to southern Chile. Cities like Temuco and Osorno will see highs of 29°C and 27°C, respectively; the resort town of Frutillar will reach 23°C, and Castro, the heart of the Chiloé archipelago, will have 22°C.

Even in Patagonia, temperatures above 20°C are expected, peaking at 25°C in Puerto Aysén and 23°C in Coyhaique, one of Chile's most air-polluted cities.

Rain in the far south

The arrival of a cool air current in the Magallanes region will bring a drop in temperatures, and this Friday, the Aysén and Magallanes regions will receive rainfall due to a frontal system dominating the area, though it will weaken over the weekend.

As a result, isolated showers will fall on Saturday and Sunday, followed by sunshine and pleasant highs of 17°C in Punta Arenas, Chile's southernmost city.

Finally, the Chilean Meteorological Directorate (DMC) issued a warning for thunderstorms in the foothills and mountains of the northern regions of Arica-Parinacota, Tarapacá, and Antofagasta between Friday the 17th and Monday the 20th. They specified that these storms will be accompanied by isolated showers, and unstable weather conditions are expected to persist in these areas.

Source:Infobae