Chile faces extreme week of heat, wind and thunderstorms

The Chilean Meteorological Directorate (DMC) has issued a series of weather alerts for the first week of July. A high‑temperature warning (Aviso A297/2026) covers the northern regions of Tarapacá, Antofagasta and Atacama, where daytime temperatures are expected to reach 33‑35 °C and night‑time lows remain above 30 °C. Concurrently, wind advisories (Avisos A298/2026 and A286-5/2026) target the southern zones of La Araucanía, Los Ríos, Los Lagos and Aysén, with gusts of 60‑80 km/h and a risk of sandstorms in the north‑central cordillera.

In addition, the DMC forecasted possible thunderstorms for Valparaíso, Metropolitana and O’Higgins (Aviso for electrical storms). The agency advised residents to secure outdoor items, avoid using electronic devices during storms, stay indoors, and refrain from outdoor activities near water or on exposed terrain. Recommendations from the National Disaster Prevention Service (Senapred) include removing dead trees and disconnecting appliances, as well as using lightning rods where storms are frequent.