Vast area of warm water off New Zealand causing drought in South America
Hot water “blob” producing ridge of high pressure being blamed for blocking rain from reaching Chile.
A vast area of warm water off the coast of New Zealand is responsible for a ten-year drought in southern South America, reports the Guardian.
A new study published in the Journal of Climate says the hot water “blob” is preventing storms reaching Chile and is diverting weather systems to west Antarctica.
Kyle Clem, one of the authors of the study, said: “This big ridge of high pressure blocks storm systems that bring rainfall to central Chile in winter.
“When we took the blob out of our simulations that ridge of high pressure disappears.
“That was one our biggest pieces of evidence that the blob is a major contributor [to the drought].”
