The Dirección Meteorológica de Chile (DMC, Chile's national weather service) updated its alert for moderate to heavy precipitation over a short period for areas of Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Metropolitana, O'Higgins and Maule. The alert is in effect from the afternoon through the night of Tuesday, October 20.
As reported by CNN Chile, the update follows the announcement of intense rain starting this Monday the 19th, which could last until Wednesday, October 21. The notice was registered as alert AA180-1/2026, as the DMC posted on its X account.
The highest totals are expected in the O'Higgins Region: between 30 and 40 millimeters in the valley and Andean foothills, and between 20 and 30 mm in the Coastal Range. In Maule, the valley and foothills would receive between 25 and 35 mm.
In the Región Metropolitana (the Santiago metropolitan region), the DMC forecasts between 25 and 35 mm in the Coastal Range, between 20 and 30 mm in the valley and about 25 mm in the foothills. Valparaíso would see between 25 and 35 mm in the Coastal Range and around 25 mm in the foothills and foothill valleys.
In Coquimbo, the forecast calls for between 15 and 25 mm in the Coastal Range and between 20 and 30 mm in the foothills and foothill valleys.
Meganoticias reported that the DMC also issued wind alerts associated with a jet stream. In the Coquimbo mountains, gusts of up to 90 km/h are expected between the early hours of Tuesday the 20th and the night of Wednesday the 21st. In parts of Antofagasta and Atacama, the wind would hit from the early hours through the night of Tuesday the 20th.
The DMC, an agency under the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC, Chile's civil aviation authority), classifies its notices into three levels: advisory, alert and alarm. The alert level corresponds to strong-severity phenomena likely to pose risks to people.
Authorities urged the public to follow the recommendations of the Servicio Nacional de Prevención y Respuesta ante Desastres (Senapred, the national disaster prevention and response service) and to watch for urban flooding, loss of connectivity and risks in foothill areas. Official updates are published on the Meteochile app and at meteochile.gob.cl.
