The Chilean Meteorological Office (DMC) issued two warnings for thunderstorms and "normal to moderate rain in a short period of time" from the afternoon of Monday 9 until early Tuesday 10 November 2026, for the Valparaíso, Metropolitan, O'Higgins and Maule regions. The weather system is a cut-off low and arrives after a Sunday on which Santiago reached 33 °C, according to La Tercera and BioBioChile.
Further north, in the Coquimbo Region, Senapred declared overnight a red alert in Monte Patria due to the risk of the Grande river overflowing and a red alert in Río Hurtado due to overflowing rivers and streams, plus a yellow alert in Salamanca. These are snowmelt floods from mountains with a lot of snow, the same process we covered on Sunday in our piece on the floods in the Elqui valley and Atacama.
View the data as a table
| Sunday high in Santiago | 33 °C |
| Forecast high for Monday | 23 °C |
| Possible rain in the Santiago foothills | up to 20 mm |
| Río Grande flow at Las Ramadas | 30.52 m³/s |
DMC warnings for thunderstorms and rain
| Warning | Phenomenon | Regions and areas | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|
| A611 | Thunderstorms | Valparaíso (foothills to mountains); Metropolitan, O'Higgins and Maule (valley to mountains) | Monday 9 afternoon to early Tuesday 10 |
| A612 | Normal to moderate rain in a short time, with likely storms | Valparaíso: 5-15 mm in the valley and foothills. Metropolitan and O'Higgins: 5-15 mm in the valley and 10-20 mm in the foothills. Maule: no millimeters reported | Monday 9 to early Tuesday 10 |
Source: DMC, warnings A611 and A612 issued on 8 November, according to La Tercera and 24horas. Santiago is forecast to reach a high of 23 °C this Monday, ten degrees less than Sunday, with showers and a possible storm at night. Check the update at meteochile.gob.cl.
Senapred alerts for storms and floods
| Area | Alert | Reason | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Region: foothills, foothill valleys and mountains | Early preventive | Likely thunderstorms and heavy rain in a short time | BioBioChile |
| Monte Patria (Limarí, Coquimbo) | Red | Risk of the Grande river overflowing | La Tercera |
| Río Hurtado (Limarí, Coquimbo) | Red | Overflowing rivers and streams | Mi Radio |
| Salamanca (Choapa, Coquimbo) | Yellow | Rising rivers and streams | VLN Radio |
According to La Tercera, the DGA station at Las Ramadas reportedly recorded 30.52 m³/s and a height of 2.456 meters on the Grande river, above the red threshold. In the Metropolitan Region, Sernageomin rated the risk of mudflows and landslides as moderate in the foothills and mountains, and low in the valley and the Coastal Range, according to BioBioChile. The updated status of each alert is at senapred.cl.
- Sun 8 Nov33 °C in SantiagoDMC issues warnings A611 (storms) and A612 (rain) from Valparaíso to Maule.
- Sun 8 Nov, nightEarly preventive alert in Santiago regionFor foothills, foothill valleys and mountains.
- Mon 9 Nov, early hoursRed alerts in CoquimboMonte Patria and Río Hurtado due to overflowing rivers; yellow in Salamanca.
- Mon 9 Nov, afternoonThunderstorms beginFrom the afternoon-evening, with 5-20 mm showers.
- Tue 10 Nov, early hoursWarnings expireAccording to DMC, unless updated.
What to do if you travel to the mountains during thunderstorms
- Avoid the mountains on Monday afternoon and night: Cajón del Maipo, Farellones, El Yeso reservoir and the foothill trails are within the alert area. If you were heading to Cascada de las Ánimas or El Yeso reservoir, better change the day.
- If a storm catches you on the mountain: come down from summits and ridges, stay away from isolated trees, fences and metal structures, and do not shelter in ravines where water could flow down.
- Rivers and streams: do not cross swollen streams or camp next to them; in Coquimbo, the Limarí and Choapa valleys are under alert.
- Rafting and river activities: ask the operator whether the river is safe; we go over what to ask in our piece on adventure tourism on the Maipo river.
- Roads: in case of landslides, Vialidad (the roads authority) can close mountain roads without prior notice; check the regional Delegation's account before setting out.
The heat is not going away: Senapred keeps a preventive alert for high temperatures until March 2027, as we explain in our piece on the heat. For indoor plans in the capital, see things to do in Santiago.
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See advertising optionsFrequently asked questions
When will there be thunderstorms in Santiago?
According to the DMC warning, from the afternoon of Monday 9 November until early Tuesday 10, from the valley to the mountains.
How much rain will fall?
Between 5 and 15 mm in the Metropolitan Region's valley and between 10 and 20 mm in the foothills, according to warning A612.
Which municipalities are under red alert?
Monte Patria and Río Hurtado, in the Coquimbo Region, due to floods and overflowing rivers (9 November 2026). Salamanca is under yellow alert.
