Ecuador Faces Increased Rainfall and Storms Through August 21, Warns Inamhi

Ecuador's National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (Inamhi) has issued a meteorological warning, forecasting an increase in rainfall and storms across several regions of the country. The alert is active from Monday, August 17, starting at 7:00 PM, through Friday, August 21, ending at 7:00 AM.

During this period, significant precipitation is expected, particularly in the Amazon and the north-central Costa regions. Forecasts indicate approximately 41 mm of rain in the Costa region, up to 11 mm in the Sierra, and as much as 54 mm in the Amazon. The intensity is predicted to be highest on August 18-19 and August 20.

Provinces in the Costa region, including parts of Esmeraldas, Santo Domingo, and Los Ríos, may experience variable intensity rainfall. In the Sierra, higher probabilities of rain are noted in the western foothills of the Andes, especially west of Pichincha, Cotopaxi, and Bolívar. The Amazon region is expected to see intermittent rain and drizzle, primarily in the eastern Andean foothills.

These weather conditions are driven by atmospheric instability resulting from disturbances in the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the transport of moisture from the Amazon basin at mid-atmospheric levels. This alert replaces a previous warning issued on August 15 concerning conditions favorable for wildfires due to high temperatures and UV radiation.