‘Megadrought’ in Chile’s and Peru’s Andes leaves mountain peaks snowless

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Andes mountain range, which has always attracted skiers to visit during the South American winter, is experiencing a record low snowfall this year during a decade-long drought that scientists say is a consequence of global warming.

Scarce rain and snow are leaving many of the majestic mountains, which stretch between Ecuador and Argentina, with either patchy areas of snow or none at all, with the brown soil of the peaks showing.

As rainfall drops and glaciers shrink across the region, communities that rely on the mountains for water supply may suffer shortages, said Ricardo Villalba, principal researcher at the Argentine Institute of Snow, Glacier and Environmental Science Studies.

“Here we are witnessing a process of rainfall decline over a long term, a megadrought,” Villalba said. “If we look at current rainfall levels for the entire mountain range, they show that either it hasn’t snowed at all or very little,” the scientist pointed out.

Ski resorts have reopened after long closures during the pandemic and are attracting nostalgic skiers to the border between Argentina and Chile. But the scarce snow is forcing many resorts to haul snow to blanket more popular slopes or to manufacture artificial snow.

Source: Exame