‘Today we could reach a record’: Meteorologists warn of intense heatwave in RM and rest of Chile

Sunscreen, water and shade. These will be the essentials of this October 28 —especially in the afternoon—, because it is estimated that thermometers will reach up to 34°C Throughout the day, due to a heat wave which entered the metropolitan area and the rest of the country.

According to the National Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) heatwaves are periods when there are “exceptionally hot and sometimes humid temperatures, usually lasting several days.”

However, they warned that this exposure to heat and humidity “It can be very exhausting on the body.”

What are the causes of these heat waves? And above all, how to take care of it?

The voting weekend was marked by heat: in the middle of spring, many people were surprised by the sudden and intense rise in temperature.

However, according to forecasts of Chilean Meteorological Directorate (DMC) , this Monday October 28 and possibly tomorrow, Tuesday 29 temperatures will remain quite high: in many regions it will exceed 30°C.

The most affected areas would be the interior areas of the north and center of the country.

“The heatwave experienced by the Metropolitan region “This is due to the installation of a subtropical warm air mass which today reaches its maximum intensity and strengthens with the development of the warm phase of the coastal trough.” begins to explain The Third Jaime Leyton meteorologist Megatime .

The coastal trough is a meteorological phenomenon which originates, as its name indicates, in the coastal region of the country: It is an area of ​​low atmospheric pressure which, due to winds, moves from north to south.

Depending on which stage you are in, the effects on climate change: sometimes they can bring cold waves and, sometimes like now, heat waves.

Leyton tells The Third that in these moments, The trough is in its “warm phase”, which explains why thermometers last weekend and the next few days are reaching high temperatures.

The meteorologist Megatime ensures that This phenomenon “is of very low frequency” However, “Today we could reach a record, or approach the record maximum temperature for the month of October, which is 33.4°C.”

“What is normal is that they reach 31°C with a certain frequency, But today we will reach a very similar figure if we do not exceed the temperature record,” warns Leyton.

Forecasts indicate that around 1:00 p.m., 30°C will be reached, a figure which will rise to 32 or 33°C (or even more) between this time and 5:00 p.m.

Tomorrow Tuesday the conditions could be very similar, although There will be more clouds in the sky which could balance out the intensity of the heat a bit.

Already on Wednesday 30, as indicated Weatherized cold air will enter the country, lowering maximum temperatures slightly.

Climate change and increased global warming are the cause of several Weather phenomena that we have known for decades behave in different and unexpected ways.

This is why NOAA scientists have already warned that we are treading on “uncharted territory” and even climate models have difficulty predicting the intensity of these events.

In this line, Leyton tells The Third that heat waves also suffer the consequences of global warming: “What previously reached the minimum to constitute a heatwave in the month of October, now greatly exceeds these values.”

In other words, there is a minimum number of degrees to declare that there is a heatwave, however, what meteorologists note is that these phenomena arrive with full force with figures well above the minimums.

An example of this is Saturday. “We reached 32.2°C, while the minimum to reach a heatwave is 29.6°C,” specifies the expert from Megatime.

This effect could also be felt in summer, because due to climate change, Heat waves are occurring not only with greater intensity, but also much more frequently than before.

From NOAA they warned that heat waves can be dangerous for people: that’s why they delivered a series of tips.

If you are outdoors, you should take the following precautions:

• Drink more water than usual and avoid alcohol.
• Use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) and reapply every two hours.
• Wear light clothing ample and light colors.
• Take breaks common in the shadow.

When a city experiences heatwaves, the ideal is to stay indoors. These are recommendations of the Government of Chile for this type of event:

• Cool the house open all windows at night and early in the morning and close them during the day.
• Keep blinds and awnings down and close windows that receive heat during the day, and open them at night when temperatures drop.
• Prefer the coldest spaces in the house especially for sleeping.
• Attempt Spend at least 2 to 3 hours every day in cold places. These may include air-conditioned spaces such as shopping malls or public buildings, if these are not available at home.
• When practicing physical activity, prefer cooler times like mornings before 7 a.m. and after sunset.
• Never leave children alone in a parked car. even if you have the windows open and you are in the shade. Make sure there is no one inside the car when you get out and close it.
• Take cold showers or put on towels or clothes soaked in cold water, Because if the ambient temperature exceeds 35°C, fans do not prevent heat-related illnesses.
• Avoid hot foods and heavy.

If you experience dizziness, weakness, anxiety, thirst, severe headache, or painful muscle spasms, seek help from a doctor or call Salud Responde at 600 360 7777 so they can guide you.