Unusually heavy snow has fallen in production areas in Chile and, although it is too early to make precise evaluations of losses, one source in Santiago told freshinfo that the avocado, cherimoya and vegetable crops have been significantly affected.
Snow fell from the Santiago Metropolitan Region southward to Region VIII on Wednesday night, and Santiago residents experienced snow for the first time in eight years, as well as the attendant power cuts and traffic accidents.
According to Santiago’s Meteorological Association, Chile is going through its coldest winter for four decades, and it has recorded the coldest spot temperatures in 23 years during the last three months. Average temperatures stand at of 46° Fahrenheit - compared with 45°F in 1967, but rather than blaming this on global warming, the Meteorological Association believes the shift in climate is part of a natural weather cycle that occurs every 19 years.
A freshinfo source in the capital city said: “All Santiago and surroundings were under 20 inches of snow, with no water and no electricity in many areas. Forty per cent of the avocado crop, cherimoyas and spring vegetables are lost.
“The news here is naming the incident as white earthquake.”
The pictures accompanying this article were taken in Santa Hilda, near Curico, but the area under snow stretches from Aconcagua to Temuco and the weather is forecast to range from -2°C to -5°C tonight, depending on the area.
The source added: “Damage in decidious fruit still difficult to predict and early varieties probably will be severely affected. Stonefruit is not affected at all.”
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