As you are aware rains and floods have been catastrophic in China, Europe, USA, Brazil, Chile, etc. Here in Peru, at the end of July, I am still in short sleeve shirt and except for social affairs have not worn a coat (August is normally our coldest month). Sunday and Monday were practically full summer days. On Monday I went to Lunahuana (42 km inland from Canete) and along the coast there were people on the beaches camping and swimming. Not even in the last "El Nino" (1982-1983) did we experienced such hot weather. In northern Peru (Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque), authorities are taking full precautions to minimize flood damage, by cleaning river beds, culverts, constructing containing walls, etc. It is expected that "El Nino" should start manifesting itself sometime in September.
It is too early to determine how seabirds are being affected. However, warm water fish have migrated south along the coast and the anchovy has likewise moved south and probably down searching for cold waters. The government has declared a ban on anchovy fishing, but not the Chileans.
In the Andes from Ancash to Puno temperatures are the lowest in decades.So much so, that extreme drought is expected. Practically nothing has been published on what to expect in the Amazon basin. Those of you that may have access to satellite photos of the Pacific, conditions look bad for the future, but nobody has a crystal ball. I only hope that temperatures next summer (January/March) will not go above 32 degrees C. in Lima. This morning on TV it was reported 42 C somewhere in Argentina. <MAPlenge@southernperu.com.pe>