The Atacama Desert in northern Chile has rolled out a carpet of purple flowers covering several square kilometres for visitors – and this unusually early in the year.
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile, known as the driest desert in the world, is currently in a spectacular, lush splendor. Heavy rains have transformed the desert into a purple sea of flowers that stretches over several square kilometers.
Low-hanging clouds create a botanical sensation
The 11 to 12 millimeters of rain in April and the low cloud cover made this botanical sensation possible. César Pizarro of the Chilean Forestry Agency told AFP that these conditions had “activated” the plants. The phenomenon of the Atacama Desert blooming has long been known, but usually only occurs in September; the last time such an early bloom occurred was in 2015.
Currently, about 300 to 400 square kilometers of the desert are in bloom, while the annual “blooming desert” usually covers an area of about 15,000 square kilometers. At the height of this natural spectacle, more than 200 plant species bloom, but currently the bright purple “guanaco paw” dominates, which requires little water.
Responsible for climate change?
The question now is whether climate change is responsible for the unusually early rainfall. In any case, scientists are now investigating whether this winter bloom, last observed in the Chilean winter of 2015, is directly related to climate change or to the weather phenomena El Niño or La Niña.
Source: Krone
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