Fact Friday- #3 Climate and Environment

Climate-

Chile is in the Southern Hemisphere, their seasons are flip-flopped. Summer runs from late December to March, and winter from late June to September. Because Chile is so long and narrow, there are many, many different climates.

The first of the major climate zones, is that of the Northern Desert area, in which there may not be rainfall for several years. However, this area is not particularly hot. This is because winds from the Peru Current bring cool air which cause cloudy weather and frequent fog to the coastal areas. In Autofagasta, a northern, coastal city, temperatures average 69 °F (20 °C) in January and 57 °F(14 °C) in July.

The second main climate zone is the mild climate of the Central Valley. It tends to have dry summers and rainy winters. Santiago receives about 14 in of rain annually, with average temperatures of 69 °F(20 °C) in January and 48 °F(9 °C) in July. Temuco is located in this zone. The average temperatures are usually between 37 °F and 79 °F, with an average rainfall of 45.6 inches annually.

The third and final major climate zone is that of the Archipelago in southern Chile. It is characterised by cold winds, piercing winds, and frequent storms. In Puerto Montt, average temperatures in January are 59 °F (15 °C) in January and 46 °F (8 °C) in July. Some parts of the Archipelago receive up to 200 inches of rainfall annually.

Global Warming and Other Controversies-

Even though Chileans do not largely contribute to the use of the greenhouse gasses that cause Global Warming, they definitely are effected by it. Not only does it greatly impact the fishing industry which so many coastal cities so heavenly rely on, but it is also slowly shrinking their water supply. Many glaciers throughout Chile are rapidly melting. This includes the ones outside of Santiago that provide drinking water to the city.  When these glaciers melt, it triggers erosion and mud-slides, which are causing many of the nations glacier-fed lakes to disappear. If that is not enough, the rainfall in the south has gone down significantly. This is a problem because it is where most of the hydro-electric dams are located.