Chile is in for a week of extreme heat from north to south: the Chilean Meteorological Directorate (DMC) issued warning A610-1/2026 for temperatures of up to 36 °C in the pampa and foothills of Antofagasta until Thursday 12 November, and highs of 32 to 33 °C are forecast for Saturday 14 in Pucón, Caburgua, Coñaripe, Liquiñe and Melipeuco. The heat comes with very low humidity and wind, the combination that favors wildfires, according to El Diario de Antofagasta and Meteored.
Forecasts checked on the morning of 10 November 2026. Official warnings are updated at meteochile.gob.cl.
View the data as a table
| Antofagasta pampa | up to 36 °C |
| Santiago | up to 32 °C |
| Pucón, Coñaripe, Melipeuco | up to 33 °C |
| Gusts in Arauco | 60 km/h |
Extreme heat this week: where and when
The cause is an upper-level ridge, a mass of warm air settling over the country and reinforced by the coastal trough. In the north, the DMC warning runs from Monday afternoon (9) to Thursday afternoon (12) in inland Antofagasta. In central Chile, Megatiempo expects "heat on Wednesday, heat on Thursday and heat on Friday" between Atacama and La Araucanía, strongest between Valparaíso and Biobío (Megatiempo).
| Area | Days | Forecast highs | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antofagasta pampa and foothills | Monday 9 to Thursday 12 | Up to 36 °C (DMC warning A610-1/2026) | El Diario de Antofagasta |
| Santiago | Wednesday 11 to Friday 13 | 30 to 32 °C | Megatiempo |
| Nacimiento, Ralco, Angol, Collipulli, Purén | Saturday 14 | 32 to 33 °C | Meteored (ECMWF) |
| Melipeuco, Caburgua, Pucón, Coñaripe, Liquiñe, Choshuenco | Saturday 14 | 32 to 33 °C | Meteored (ECMWF) |
| Ñuble, Biobío and La Araucanía valley | Saturday 14 | 30 to 31 °C | Meteored (ECMWF) |
| Valdivia and Niebla | Saturday 14 | Around 29 °C | Meteored (ECMWF) |
Sources: El Diario de Antofagasta, Megatiempo and Meteored. For Santiago to have a heatwave, it needs three days in a row with highs of 30.5 °C or more: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday could meet that (Megatiempo).
Wildfire risk: the 30-30-30 rule
Meteored warns that Friday 13 and Saturday 14 will bring conditions favorable to the spread of fires between Ñuble and Los Ríos. It is the 30-30-30 rule: over 30 °C, under 30% humidity and winds over 30 km/h. In the foothills of Ñuble and Biobío, 31 °C with humidity below 20% is expected, as in Malalcahuello and Melipeuco, and gusts of 60 km/h on the Arauco coast (Meteored). After a rainy winter and spring, there is plenty of grass and vegetation available to burn.
| Day | Area | Forecast conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 11 | Arauco coast | Gusts of about 40 km/h |
| Thursday 12 | Coast of La Araucanía and Arauco | Gusts of 30 to 50 km/h |
| Friday 13 | Arauco coast | Gusts close to 60 km/h |
| Friday 13 | Biobío, La Araucanía and Los Ríos valley | Gusts of about 50 km/h |
| Friday 13 | Ñuble and Biobío foothills | 31 °C and humidity below 20% |
| Saturday 14 | Biobío and La Araucanía foothills | Humidity below 20%; 40-50 km/h gusts on the coast |
Sources: Meteored and Meteored, using the European ECMWF model. Almost all wildfires in Chile are started by human activity. In national parks it is forbidden to light any heat source, including barbecues, campfires, stoves and cigarettes (Law 20,653), Conaf reminds visitors. More in the 2026-2027 wildfire season.
- Mon 9 to Thu 12DMC warning in AntofagastaUp to 36 °C in the pampa and foothills.
- Wed 11 to Fri 13Possible heatwave in Santiago30-32 °C
- Fri 13Riskiest day for wildfires60 km/h gusts in Arauco and humidity below 20%.
- Sat 14Hottest day in the south32-33 °C in Biobío, Araucanía and Los Ríos.
Not just heat: storms are possible too
The stability that comes with the heat favors cut-off lows, pockets of cold air aloft that can bring brief showers, hail and thunderstorms in the central and northern Andes, and the country has more water vapor available because of a very strong El Niño (Meteored). Patagonia starts the week with rain and wind, and Megatiempo does not rule out rain in Santiago next weekend (Megatiempo). The summer outlook is in historic El Niño: what to expect.
What to watch if you travel in extreme heat
- Hike early or late in the afternoon and avoid exposed trails between 12:00 and 17:00.
- Carry more water than usual, a hat and sunscreen, in the mountains too.
- Do not light fires outside authorized places and put cigarettes out properly; it is forbidden in parks.
- In lakes and rivers, swim only at authorized beaches: snowmelt water is still very cold and there are currents.
- Check DMC and Senapred warnings before setting out, especially if you are heading to the mountains.
If you are heading south, see things to do in Pucón, the Ojos del Caburgua or Panguipulli and its seven lakes. In the north, the heat of the pampa contrasts with the cold nights of the altiplano: we explain it in things to do in San Pedro de Atacama.
Frequently asked questions
Will there be a heatwave in Santiago this week?
There could be: 30 to 32 °C is forecast between Wednesday 11 and Friday 13. A heatwave is three days in a row with highs of 30.5 °C or more.
Where will it be hottest at the weekend?
In the valley and foothills of Biobío and La Araucanía: 32 to 33 °C is expected on Saturday 14 in places such as Pucón, Caburgua, Melipeuco and Coñaripe.
What is the 30-30-30 rule?
The combination of temperatures over 30 °C, humidity under 30% and winds over 30 km/h, which favors the spread of wildfires.
