Prognostic Meteorological Discussion
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
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308 FXUS20 KWBC 051704 PMDSA South America Forecast Discussion - International Desks NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 1204 PM EST Fri Dec 05 2025 GFS data at ftpprd.ncep.noaa.gov/data/nccf/com/gfs/prod/ South American Forecast Bulletin for 05 December 2025 at 1715 UTC In the lower mid-latitudes, the exit region of a mid-to-upper level trough, that is currently centered near 26S 81W, will begin to affect the continent on Friday. Upper diffluence will be plentiful east of the Andes, leading to the sustenance of upper divergence. East of the Andes, expect an increase in long-fetch northerly and north-easterly low level winds after Saturday afternoon, which will assist in transporting moist tropical air into the Cordoba and northwest regions of Argentina. Mid-level shortwave troughs will be developing prior to the arrival of the trough axis and this will help in the development of convection for Friday and Saturday. Thereafter, the trough axis will be over the continent early Sunday morning. This will trigger the formation and advancement of a surface cold front across northern Argentina. Convective processes will be driven by the presence of the cold front. Total precipitation maxima will exceed 50mm across the El Chaco region of Argentina for Sunday. The risk for severe weather will also be present for Saturday and Sunday as the mid-level temperatures will be below -9 degrees Celsius. The northward progression of this cold front will be limited due to the presence of the Bolivian High to the north. In the Buenos Aires region, the axis of an upper level trough will be directly overhead on Friday and will be accompanied by a mid-level shortwave trough that is expected to move across this region starting Friday afternoon and into the evening. The presence of these features will enable the development of a surface cold front for Friday evening. Moisture pooling will be present along and ahead of this front and precipitable water values will exceed 38mm during this period. These conditions will favor a total precipitation maxima of 15 - 30mm and there will be a risk for severe weather. This front will quickly move offshore and quiet conditions will remain for the rest of the weekend across Buenos Aires and Uruguay. In the higher mid-latitudes, a surface high pressure system will begin to develop off the coast of central Chile starting Friday afternoon and will limit the northward progression of cold fronts. This semi-stationary high pressure system will allow for a long fetch moisture tongue associated with a cold front to converge into the northern regions of austral Chile through the entirety of the forecast cycle. The interaction between these two surface features will favor a persistent north-westerly low level wind flow. Any precipitation that does develop will be influenced by the diurnal cycle, local effects, and orographic enhancement. The most favorable mid-to-upper level conditions will remain farther south, primarily across the southern regions of austral Chile. Regardless, expect a total precipitation maxima of 20 - 40mm across the northern region of austral Chile on Friday. On Saturday, another broad area of high precipitable water that is affiliated to a dying occluded front will move into austral Chile and affecting the entire region. This will yield a broad total precipitation maxima of 20 - 35mm. By Sunday, the area of greatest precipitation impact will again be across northern austral Chile due to the aforementioned surface conditions favoring ongoing northwesterly low level flow. In the western subtropics, a broad upper level ridging pattern, otherwise known as the Bolivian High, will continue to gain definition through the weekend. In the low to mid levels, there will be a trough residing across central Bolivia through Sunday evening and it will provide additional low level circulation and enhance moisture convergence. The low level trough is expected to decay after Sunday evening. Expect daily total precipitation maxima to exceed 40mm. Farther north, the nocturnal low level jet will be developing daily across eastern Colombia, favoring a decrease in available moisture and overall accumulations across the northwest Amazon Basin. To the east, cyclonic rotation will be enhanced across the southwest regions of the central Amazon Basin on Friday and Saturday and will increase the chances for precipitation and convection. Across Brasil, the South America Convergence Zone (SACZ) will continue to weaken on Friday across central Brasil and Espirito Santo. Low level troughing will remain in its wake for Saturday. With respect to moisture, available moisture will begin to decrease by Saturday afternoon. The low level flow will also shift to a more northeasterly direction and will limit moisture convergence along the coast of Espirito Santo. Thus, the period of greatest precipitation impact will be on Friday and accumulations will decrease substantially with passing days. Across central Brasil, moisture convergence will still persist due to the presence of low level troughs and upper level diffluence through the weekend. Elsewhere in tropical South America, expect seasonal conditions to persist. In the Guianas, a long fetch moisture plume extending for the central Atlantic Basin will continue to converge into the area. Embedded within this moisture plume will be regions of low level cyclonic rotation in the wind field that may develop into low level troughs. These troughs will move into the region through the weekend and will favor an increase in precipitation chances with its passage. Otherwise, Local effects, the diurnal cycle, and orographic enhancement will favor increasing precipitation accumulation across the subtropical region. For the latest available charts please visit: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/international/sam_day1-3.shtml Tinoco-Morales...(WPC) $$