Hey Guys (and girls)

Im looking at shipping to South America in Aug/Sept for a years trip, starting Chile. I am seeing that the El Nino effect starting to cause problems already, floods and washing out roads. Im feeling a bit put off, I can go next year?

Cheers George

Two hours north of Santiago we have had NO rain. NONE. We're a month overdue if not more. A neighbor here has a saying about this area. "If you don't like the weather, just wait 15 minutes..."

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Two hours north of Santiago we have had NO rain. NONE. We're a month overdue if not more. A neighbor here has a saying about this area. "If you don't like the weather, just wait 15 minutes..."
(Views from yesterday... This is what winter is looking like...)

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Rallying for A Wild Life — THE FILM!
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I don't think I'd cancel your trip based on what El Nino affect may or may not have on weather in Chile. With climate change it's now harder than ever to predict weather patterns. Now it's all about extremes. But it's unlikely the weather in Coastal Chile would be the same in Inland Chile, or high mountain Chile.

Now we see record breaking EVERYTHING, all over the world.
Record Cold, Record HOT, Most rain, Most snow, most severe floods, severe drought. It's all out there happening NOW, worldwide. It's Global Warming. It's real.

Seems predictable seasonal patterns don't always follow protocol now.

El Nino, IMHO, is connected to this, but exactly how?? Your best move is to be mobile and willing to move quickly, go with the flow. Go to where the weather suits you. Stay away from areas of extremes when possible. Or be happy to sit and wait for things to clear so you can safely pass. Keeping up with current reports where you are (and where you want to go) is key.

None of this should be a surprise to anyone in the field or anyone following weather patterns for a while. I first saw it coming ... CLEARLY ... in the late 1970's while working in Antarctica.

Scientists there studying glacier movement and documenting the break off of huge tabular Ice bergs off major Ice shelves had early clues on this. Even then, the numbers were staggering and it was obvious something was up.

No one called it Global Warming then ... but they understood that it wouldn't just be a case of higher world wide temps ... the experts knew that ALL weather ... worldwide ... would be affected. So ... HOTTER,
Colder, Wetter, Dryer, Windier ... take your pick! The so called "tipping point" is long past.

Enjoy the ride!

Hello George:

In South America, El Niño directly affects, with heavy downpours, western side of the Andes, mostly in Peru but with Ecuador and northern Chile also receiving some extra rains.

But indirectly, is another story, depending on the general area into the Continent, and many times, depending on the micro-site. I have not regional data different from Colombia.

In Colombia, El Niño is cause of droughts in 40 % of the zones all over the country, mainly in the Andes region, while La Niña, is cause of extra-rains, mainly also in the Andes region. Eastern planes are less affected.

El Niño –if get fully developed this year- shouldn´t be a reason for riding or not riding. As Mollydog says, stay away from areas of extremes when possible. I would add, for example, if heavy rains are occurring over mountainous country, do not plan on riding small and far away roads, as landslides would stop you.

Enjoy our Continent.http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...es/mchappy.gif

Santiago

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but rains only really come in northern Chile, Argentina and highland Bolivia in "summer" i.e. beginning end of November and toward the end of April. This causes the phenomenon known as the 'altiplano winter'. I experienced this, it was kinda scary with absolutely enormous electrical storms, lots of rain, snow higher up, landslides and big washouts. You know, at risk of tempting fate, I wouldn't expect to be seeing any rain up those ways in August nor September. However, lower down this really is "winter" in Chile and most of the passes below Paso San Francisco will either be closed for the winter or the paved ones will be subject to closures.

Any trip of suitable length is going to encounter rain. Some will get more, some will get less. If you put off the opportunity for a later date, something might come up to make that trip impossible.

Do while you can. Don't over think it. Just do it.




PS: Rain is good for the skin and you'll see amazing rainbows.

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Peter B
2008/09 - NJ to Costa Rica and back to NJ
2012/13 - NJ to Northern Argentina, Jamaica, Cuba and back to NJ
2023 - Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia...back to Peru.

Blogs: Peter's Ride