The driest deserts on Earth bloom and are colored white and purple.. What is the reason?

Arabia Weather - In the Atacama Desert, one of the driest deserts on Earth, located in Chile, the sand dunes were decorated with white and purple flowers in recent days after early rains revived flowers during the winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

Flowering desert

The Atacama Desert is known as the “Flowering Desert” because its adapted seeds and bulbs blossom into flowers every few years during the spring. But recent heavy rains, due to a weather phenomenon known as El Niño, have made the desert bloom early this year.

Cesar Pisarro, head of the National Forest Foundation's Department of Biodiversity Conservation, noted that the current winter bloom is not yet sufficient for the desert to be officially considered a “blooming desert.” Pissarro added that forecasts indicate more rain in the coming weeks, which could lead to flowers blooming in wider areas. He concluded by saying: “For the time being, we have to wait and monitor the developments of the situation.”

It is worth noting that the last time early flowering occurred in the Atacama Desert was in 2015.

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What is the El Niño phenomenon?

The El Niño phenomenon is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs periodically in the tropical Pacific Ocean. It is characterized by rising sea surface temperatures in the western tropical Ocean. The phenomenon is affected by changes in upper winds and heat transfer between the upper and lower layers of the Pacific Ocean.

The El Niño phenomenon causes widespread weather changes around the world, such as:

1. Changes in rainfall pattern: El Niño may cause heavy rainfall in some areas, while leading to drought in others.
2. Impacts on marine life: Increases in sea surface temperatures affect marine ecosystems, such as fish and microalgae.
3. Effects on temperatures: El Niño can lead to temperature changes around the world, including higher temperatures in some areas.

The El Niño phenomenon is considered part of a natural climate cycle, and often occurs every several years, and its effects vary according to its strength and the extent of its impact on global weather phenomena.

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Sources:

reuters