As winter gave way to spring in the Southern Hemisphere, large parts of South America experienced a scorching heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil found themselves in the grip of record-breaking September temperatures, with some all-time records hanging in the balance as the heatwave persists.
This unusual and intense heatwave is primarily attributed to the presence of a heat dome, a weather phenomenon characterized by a prolonged period of high pressure that traps hot air over a region. Additionally, the El Niño climate pattern, originating in the tropical Pacific Ocean, has contributed to the heat, exacerbated by the ongoing trend of human-induced global warming. It’s worth noting that September typically ushers in more temperate conditions in these regions.
In Peru, temperatures in the town of Puerto Esperanza soared above 40 degrees Celsius, an extremely rare occurrence and just one degree shy of the all-time highest temperature of 41.1 degrees Celsius (106 Fahrenheit). Other South American locations also witnessed record temperatures on Sunday:
- Filadelfia, western Paraguay: 44.4 degrees Celsius (112 Fahrenheit)
- Trinidad in Bolivia: 39.5 degrees Celsius (103)
- Las Lomitas, Argentina: 43.6 degrees Celsius (110 Fahrenheit)
Brazil, in particular, experienced widespread heat, with 11 states seeing temperatures hit 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday, according to the MetSul Meteorologia weather company. São Paulo recorded a high of 36.5 degrees Celsius (98 Fahrenheit), the city’s highest September temperature since 1943, as reported by INMET, the national meteorological service. This scorching heat marked the conclusion of the city’s warmest winter in over six decades.
The abnormally high temperatures in Brazil have also elevated the risk of wildfires, with outbreaks reported in Bahia state. Unfortunately, the extreme heat is predicted to persist across South America, with the possibility of more records being shattered.
Maximiliano Herrera, a climatologist and weather historian known for tracking extreme temperatures, warns that “more of the same – or worse – is unavoidable.”
This exceptional heatwave isn’t limited to South America alone. Other parts of the Southern Hemisphere, such as Australia, are grappling with an unusually hot spring, characterized by soaring temperatures and numerous bushfires. It has been described as “a September like none before” by Herrera.
The impact of climate change is evident in these extreme heat events, as the world continues to burn fossil fuels, leading to planet-warming consequences. The Northern Hemisphere recently experienced its hottest summer on record, with record-breaking monthly heat temperatures in June, July, and August.
As the abnormal heat lingers, the data suggests that September might also clinch the title of the hottest such month on record. The United States’ National Atmospheric and Oceanographic Administration (NOAA) reports that there is now more than a 93% chance that this year will go down in history as the warmest on record.
In conclusion, as South America grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, it’s becoming increasingly evident that climate change is not a distant threat but a present reality. The urgent need to address the causes and consequences of global warming cannot be overstated.
