DistantNews
Support us
Peru's Winter to Be Skipped as El Niño Costero Keeps Coast Warm
🇵🇪 Peru /Environment & Climate

Peru's Winter to Be Skipped as El Niño Costero Keeps Coast Warm

From La República · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Peru's coast will experience a winter without cold due to the persistent El Niño Costero phenomenon, with temperatures remaining above 20 degrees Celsius.
  • The phenomenon is causing significant ocean warming, transferring heat to the atmosphere and raising coastal air temperatures.
  • While unusual warmth is expected, authorities do not anticipate extreme rainfall or flooding events like those in 2017 and 2023.

Lima, Peru – The upcoming winter in Peru is unlikely to bring the usual chill, as the El Niño Costero phenomenon is set to keep coastal temperatures well above seasonal norms. Official forecasts indicate that temperatures in Lima and Callao will remain above 20 degrees Celsius, effectively negating the typical winter experience.

Luis Vásquez, spokesperson for the National Committee for the Study of the El Niño Phenomenon (ENFEN), stated that the prevailing condition from June to September will be strong. This unusual warmth is attributed to the significant heating of the Pacific Ocean off Peru's coast. The warming extends throughout the water column, facilitating continuous heat transfer to the atmosphere and maintaining elevated temperatures along the coastline.

Our forecast for June to September is that the predominant condition will be strong. Winter will not exist.

— Luis VásquezSpokesperson for ENFEN, explaining the expected impact of El Niño Costero on Peru's winter.

Yuri Escajadillo, an engineer with Peru's National Meteorology and Hydrology Service (Senamhi), confirmed that unusual temperature variations in the Pacific are directly warming the air along the coast. He noted that El Niño Costero is already underway and could potentially persist until the summer of 2027. This sustained warming of the sea surface influences atmospheric conditions and drives the ongoing climate event.

We should not worry about rain, floods, or mudslides because we are in a dry period so far. We may have some drizzles that will not be very significant.

— Luis VásquezENFEN spokesperson, reassuring the public about the absence of extreme rainfall despite the warming trend.

Despite the elevated temperatures, Vásquez cautioned against expecting extreme weather events. "We should not worry about rain, floods, or mudslides because we are in a dry period so far. We may have some drizzles that will not be very significant," he explained. Senamhi forecasts that daytime temperatures in Lima and Callao between June 16 and 18 could reach between 25°C and 30°C, significantly higher than normal for this time of year. Districts farther from the sea are expected to experience the highest heat.

While the current conditions are not expected to mirror the severe rainfall and flooding seen in 2017 and 2023, the persistent warming trend highlights the ongoing impact of El Niño Costero on Peru's climate.

This month of June, Lima will register temperatures between 5 and 6 degrees above normal.

— Angie FloresSenamhi meteorologist, detailing the expected temperature anomalies for Lima.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La República in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog