The Chilean Meteorological Directorate (DMC) issued an advisory this Saturday for thunderstorms in central and south-central Chile, according to CNN Chile. The storms are expected between the afternoon and night of Monday, October 26, with a chance of hail.
According to that outlet, the agency attributed the storms to an upper-level trough. This is a system of cold air in the upper atmosphere that promotes instability and the formation of vertically developing clouds.
The advisory covers five regions. In Valparaíso, it covers the foothills, foothill valleys and mountains. In the Metropolitan Region and O'Higgins, it is limited to the foothills and mountains.
Farther south, the coverage is broader. In the Maule and Ñuble regions, the advisory includes valleys, foothills and mountains, so it also covers more populated areas of the central valley.
The DMC distinguishes three levels: advisory, alert and alarm. An advisory is the lowest level and applies to forecast phenomena with a moderate degree of severity that are potentially hazardous.
The source does not detail specific recommendations for the public or mention measures by the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred). During thunderstorms, the usual guidance is to avoid open areas and not shelter under trees. Those planning to head into the mountains should check the forecasts before leaving.
The advisory applies to Monday, October 26. The DMC could update, expand or withdraw it depending on how the trough develops over the weekend.
