Prognostic Meteorological Discussion
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
Versions:
1
382 FXUS20 KWBC 121938 PMDSA South America Forecast Discussion - International Desks NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 237 PM EST Wed Nov 12 2025 GFS data at ftpprd.ncep.noaa.gov/data/nccf/com/gfs/prod/ South American Forecast Bulletin for 12 November 2025 at 1940 UTC In the southern cone of South America, the region is expected to become active as an increase in available moisture due to an atmospheric river and frontal boundaries enter the region over the next three days. On Wednesday, the exit of a jet stream in the upper levels and a short wave trough will favor divergence aloft, while a weak front enters the Austral region from late Wednesday into early Thursday morning. This will favor maxima of 20-35mm from south Aysen and north Magallanes on Wednesday. On Thursday, the exit area of a jet streak enters by the evening hours, while in the mid levels, the base of a short wave trough encounters the south Magallanes region, in addition with the advection of vorticity in the region. In the lower levels, westerly low level jets are accompanied by the entry of a potent atmospheric river with precipitable water values estimated to exceed 30-35mm over most of the Austral region of Chile from Thursday into Friday morning. This will favor moisture convergence along the terrain, enhanced by orographic lift, and will receive support from the mid to upper levels. As a result, expect heavy precipitation on Thursday, with maxima precipitation ranging from 35-70mm, with mountain snow, and locally higher amounts are possible. On Friday, the entrance region of the jet streak has propagated eastward over the southern Patagonia and ridge axis in the upper levels is expected over the day on Friday. However, a region of upper diffluence remains as the jet stream continues to remain over the Austral region of Chile. From late Friday into early Saturday a mid to upper level, negatively tilted shortwave trough enters Austral Chile, favoring conditions for heavy precipitation. Moisture remains in the region as atmospheric river remains, and a frontal boundary begins to form an occlusion just west of Magallanes. High speeds in the lower levels will continue throughout the forecast area, enhancing moisture convergence and orographic lift. Expect maxima of 30-60mm in south Aysen and north Magallanes. In the central region of the continent, the interaction between an upper level ridge centered over Brasil and as negatively tilted upper trough over the south Atlantic Ocean and east of the Rio de la Plata region will interact over regions of Paraguay, north Argentina, Uruguay, and south Brasil. On Wednesday, the upper ridge intensifies, further enhancing the upper level jet and providing a region of divergence over portions of Paraguay, north Argentina, and south Brasil. With this, significant troughing is expected in the lower levels of the atmosphere, as well as the presence of the South American LLJ, which will transport moist air from the tropical regions of South America. At the same time, a frontal boundary becomes stationary over portions of north Argentina by Wednesday evening. The interactions of all these systems will persist into Thursday, and propagate slightly northward into the Chaco region and the Chiquitania region of Bolivia. The frontal boundary is expected to weaken on Thursday and Friday as the upper level jet begins to weaken and the upper level trough in the south Atlantic has left the region. In terms of precipitation, on Wednesday, expect maxima of 50-100mm in central Paraguay with a slight risk of severe weather, and maxima of 30-60mm in west Formosa-Argentina with a marginal risk of severe weather. The north Chaco region can expect maxima of 20-45mm with a marginal risk of severe weather. On Thursday, north Paraguay and the south Pantanal region of Brasil can expect maxima of 50-100mm with a risk of severe weather, while the south Chaco region can expect maxima of 35-70mm with a marginal risk of severe weather. The Chiquitania region can expect maxima of 20-45mm, while the central Bolivia region will see significant moisture convergence along the Andes Mountains, with precipitable water values exceeding 55mm, which will favor maxima of 40-80mm. By Friday, a weaker trough remains in the lower levels, accompanied by moisture that is converging in north Paraguay and the Pantanal region. North-central Paraguay can expect maxima of 25-50mm with a risk of severe weather, while the Pantanal region can expect maxima of 20-35mm. In the tropical portion of the continent, diurnal heating and troughs in the trade winds have dominated the precipitation over the past few days and it is expected to continue over the next three days. On Wednesday, the afternoon thunderstorm activity is widespread, and with it, the release of latent heat into the atmosphere is assisting in fueling the strengthening of the upper level ridge over the region. In the lower levels, the LLJ are transporting moisture to the south along the Andean regions of Peru and Bolivia. Most of the thunderstorms will remain over Central and west Brasil, into the Amazon regions of Peru and Bolivia on Wednesday. This pattern is expected to continue on Thursday and Friday, with the exception of the presence of low level jets, due to the lack of presence from the upper level jets that favor the development of troughs in the lower levels. However, this will favor the more east to west direction of the easterly trades, meaning that the moisture being advected in the trade winds will begin to interact with the Andean regions of Peru and Bolivia. Friday is expected to be the day with the higher amount of precipitation, where expect maxima of 30-60mm in Amazonas-Brasil, and maxima of 20-45mm in the Western Amazon Basin. The southwest Amazon Basin can expect maxima of 20-35mm. For the latest available charts please visit: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/international/sam_day1-3.shtml Castellanos...(WPC) $$