Weather Tracker: The temperatures have record highs in South America | Extreme weather

WHile North America dealt with widespread cold and winter conditions last week, South America – now in its last summer month – confronts the opposite extreme, with the record temperatures being recorded on the entire continent. Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city in Brazil, rose last Monday, 14 ° C above February standard and the highest temperature in the city for over a decade, the temperatures at the Guaratiba weather station have increased to 44 ° C. In addition to the high temperatures, Rio also achieved one of his driest February one of his driest February that is expected this month and next week. The authorities activated a level 4 heat protocol at the beginning of last week due to the extreme warmth and initiated the establishment of hydration stations at outdoor events and public spaces as well as for the designation of climatic buildings as “cooling points”.

Although the temperatures in Brazil have returned closer to the average, the focus of the heat has now shifted south. In the coming days, Northwestern Argenties will see heights in the upper 30s to the low 40s in the coming days, 10 to 15 ° C above the seasonal average. In contrast to Rio, however, these high temperatures are likely to trigger thunderstorms, some of which can lead to some high rainfall.

The intensive heat in South America was largely powered by high pressure above the southern Atlantic, which reduces the air towards the southern parts of the continent, compressed and warm.

In contrast to the high temperatures in Brazil and Argentina, the province of Saskatchewan stormed the temperatures in the negative 40s -Celsius in Canada last Monday, while North Dakota recorded at least -37.8 ° C in the USA. As a result, a temperature difference of more than 80 ° C was observed between the two American continents on the same day.

In the meantime, central and eastern Africa are now also out with extreme heat. A persistent heat wave, which largely affects the South Sudan and parts of the Chad, the Central African Republic and Sudan, continues to bring temperatures in the low 40s. In South Sudan, the schools were closed for two weeks due to high temperatures for two weeks in a row to prevent other students from collapsing under the relentless warmth. The forecasts for the region show only very little break, whereby the potential for heat waves can continue until March.