17 SEPTEMBER. PERU: CLIMATE During (June
12 to August 12) geoarchaeological field studies of ENSO-induced paleoflood
deposits in the region of Puerto Ilo (c. 17 degrees S. Lat.), the following
anomalous conditions were observed: unusually high daily temperatures;
high incidents of coastal winds out of the north, versus south; a high
incidence of sunny days and clear nights versus normally foggy conditions
below 1500 masl; an incident of day time showers on the Clemsi desert between
Moquegua and Arequipa; the lowest snow fall levels in the Arequipa region
"in a generation." Desert stands of lomas vegetation, normally sustained
by fogs, were not blooming, and cormorants had begun starving by mid August.
In August there were a number of very severe day-time dust storms in the
Ilo region unlike anything I observed during the 82-83 or 72-73 El Niño
events.--M.E. Moseley <moseley@anthro.ufl.edu>.
Back to The 1997
El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO 97-98)