Bermejo River

South America: Intense water deficits forecast for French Guiana

South America: Intense water deficits forecast for French Guiana

The forecast through July indicates that the extent of exceptional water deficits on the continent will shrink somewhat but deficits will dominate much of the northern bulk. Exceptional deficits are forecast for French Guiana, Suriname, and southern Venezuela, central Brazil, the southern Amazon Basin, many Brazilian rivers, and along the Pacific Coast from Lima through the Atacama Desert. Surpluses are expected to increase in Paraguay and will be exceptional in central Paraguay.

South America: Intense water deficits forecast for Suriname & French Guiana

South America: Intense water deficits forecast for Suriname & French Guiana

The forecast through May indicates that water deficits in Brazil will shrink and downgrade significantly, though intense deficits are forecast for eastern Minas Gerais, Espíritu Santo, and São Paulo. Surpluses will emerge in northeastern states and will moderate but increase in the south. Exceptional deficits are forecast for Suriname and French Guiana, and deficits of varying intensity for Brazil’s northern neighbors, and Peru, Chile, eastern Bolivia, and Argentina. Surpluses will shrink in northern Bolivia, downgrade in central Paraguay, and moderate in northeastern Argentina and Uruguay.

South America: Water deficits forecast to diminish in eastern Brazil

South America: Water deficits forecast to diminish in eastern Brazil

Exceptional water deficits are forecast to diminish considerably in the coming months, but pockets are forecast through April in southern Venezuela, Amapá (Brazil), western Brazil, western Ecuador, and around the Gulf of Corcovado in southern Chile. Deficits are also forecast in southern Colombia, northern Peru, Uruguay, Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), and northeastern Argentina. Surplus is forecast in northeastern Venezuela, scattered throughout eastern Brazil, northern Bolivia, and eastern Paraguay. After April, the extent of anomalous water conditions will shrink. 

South America: Water deficits in eastern Brazil, surpluses in northern Peru

South America: Water deficits in eastern Brazil, surpluses in northern Peru

Though the extent of water deficits in South America is expected to shrink March through May, deficits are forecast in central and eastern states of Brazil, western French Guiana into eastern Suriname, Bolivia, Chile, and coastal Peru. Surpluses are forecast in Paraguay, in a line down western Argentina, in central Buenos Aires Province (Argentina), in Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná (Brazil), northern Peru, northern Guyana, Suriname, and parts of Ecuador. From June through August deficits are forecast to persist across Brazil’s mid-section and emerge in Piauí and across northern Brazil. Deficits are also forecast for Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, coastal Peru, and northern Chile. Surpluses will persist in aforementioned areas of Paraguay and Argentina.

South America: Exceptional water deficits persist in central Brazil

South America: Exceptional water deficits persist in central Brazil

South America is forecast to transition away from widespread exceptional water deficits after October. However, until then exceptional deficits are forecast for much of Brazil north of Rio, along with deficits of varying severity elsewhere in South America. By December the extent of exceptional water deficits in Brazil will diminish except along the Amazon River and in Amapá and Maranhão. From November on moderate deficits are forecast in Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.