MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Leading meteorologist forecasts dry months ahead for Uruguay

Uruguayan soils are lacking adequate rainfalls since the winter when it also rained less than usual.

Uruguay's rural producers were discouraged Tuesday after expert meteorologist Mario Bidegain forecast this year's Spring will be the third in a row with a rainfall deficit.

Such a weather occurrence has not been recorded for the previous 20 years, it was reported. September already ended with a 70% deficit, especially in the southern region.

“It's not going to be all over the country, but it is going to be in some areas of the eastern part of the country and even the south, where they may be needing the rain the most,” Bidegain told Telenoche.

“This means that it has rained only 20% of the normal rainfall in September in the South of the Negro River, this could be of great help to recover some of the moisture in the soils that have been lost week after week”, he added.

According to Bidegain, the rest of October will continue with low rainfall. “Unfortunately we continue with the influence of La Niña, with the cooling of the Pacific Ocean, this has already been affecting us not only in this month but this is the third year that we come with cold phase, it is an episode that was not seen for more than 20 years of three consecutive springs with a precipitation deficit caused by La Niña,” the expert also pointed out.

“Spring is going to be dry in most of the country due to the effect of this climate variability,” he stressed, although he did anticipate rainfalls for Thursday and Friday this week. He was cautious, however, as to the intensity and geographical distribution of the precipitations at a time when crops and pastures are highly affected by the accumulated water deficit.

Bidegain a professor in meteorology and a private consultant specializing in climate, a former director of the Climatology Area of the current National Institute of Meteorology (Inumet) also announced that the rest of October and November will be mostly dry.

The expert noted on Twitter that a water deficit had been recorded throughout all of Uruguay but while registrations in the north had been between 50 to 60% below par, the south showed a shortcoming of between 75 to 80%. “It rained only 20% of normal [quantifies]” Bidegain posted.

Bidegain's assessment meant bad news for agriculture and livestock activity because, in addition to the difficulties generated by the accumulation of weeks without an adequate level of rainfall, temperatures are expected to increase as days are longer and Summer nears.

Uruguayan soils are lacking adequate rainfalls since the winter when it also rained less than usual.