A Southern Blob is wreaking havoc in Chile. The term is given to a huge area of hot water. The stretch is situated in the southwest part of the Pacific Ocean. The area of the blob is equivalent to the size of entire Australia. This region of hot water is deemed as the culprit for causing drought in Chile.
Cile is located in South America. The country is geographically far away from the Pacific Ocean. However, recent studies have depicted a connection between the two. Chile is witnessing a severe drought that is lasting for twelve years now. Environmentalists were unsure of the exact reason for the drought. A shocking study has provided concrete evidence of unlikely phenomena. Chile’s drought is most likely to be linked with the Southern Blob. The global pressure of the atmosphere & circulation seems to connect the two.
The Blob first came into existence about several decades ago. The exact location of the phenomenon ranges to the eastern regions of Australia & New Zealand. The Blob is speculated to have been caused by scanty rainfall. With the drastically changing climate, the area of hot water has expanded over time.
The sudden decrease in the amount of rainfall tampered with the circulation of the atmosphere. Patterns of winds were altered in turn, changing the flow of ocean currents. These changes made the cold water go deeper down, pushing more hot water into the Blob.
Southern Blob: All You Need To Know
Kyle Clem is a renowned author. She is a climate enthusiast and lecturer at Victoria University situated in Wellington. She has studied the Southern Blob closely. She found out that the atmospheric changes resulted in the Blob getting warmer and bigger. The hot water of the Blob warms the air surrounding the area. The hot air and water create a region of high pressure over a large area. Clem termed the area as “High-Pressure Ridge”.
As a result of the region of high pressure, paths of storms also tend to deviate. Most of the storms usually do not follow their stipulated path. They tend to go generally to the South Antarctic region while moving from the South American west coast.
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The impact of global warming has taken a huge toll on nature. The change in climate and natural habitats have been the most significant. The Blob has also grown rapidly due to the rising temperatures. Global warming caused the Southern Blob to grow hotter and expand faster than anticipated.
Southern Blob And Chile: A Shocking Revelation
The country of Chile depends heavily on storms during winter. These storms bring in plenty of rainfall. This occurrence of storms and rainfall is very important for recharging the storage of fresh water. Unfortunately, the high pressure of the Blob drives the storms away from the country. The result is very unpleasant for Chile. With almost no rainfall, a condition of acute drought has persisted since 2010. The drought has impacted the lives of the common masses and the environment negatively.
Journal Of Climate published the report that establishes the link between the Blob and the Drought. NASA has reported it to be the most devastating and lengthiest drought in Chile’s history. The long-term water shortage has plagued the lives of everyone. Farmers have suffered the most in this period. Crops have been wasted and a large amount of livestock has died.
Read: Global Warming: Worsening Of Floods, Drought And Heat Waves
Water shortages have reached a new low. The seriousness of the situation is such that some locals depend on outside water aids for living.
At the moment, no one knows when or how the Southern Blob will end. The research team of Clem plans to investigate further in this manner. As of now, Chile must be ready to encounter adversities.
