Weather tracker: temperatures hit record highs across South America

Rio de Janeiro reached 44C, its highest temperature for more than a decade, last MondayWhile North America grappled with widespread cold and wintry conditions last week, South America - now in its final month of summer - faced the opposite extreme, with record high temperatures being recorded across the continent. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's second largest city, saw temperatures at its Guaratiba weather station soar to 44C last Monday, 14C above the February norm and the highest temperature recorded in the city for over a decade. In addition to the high temperatures, Rio has also experienced what is expected to be one of its driest Februarys on record, with little rain so far this month and minimal precipitation expected in the next week. Authorities activated a level 4 heat protocol early last week as a result of the extreme heat, prompting the setup of hydration stations at outdoor events and public spaces, as well as the designation of air-conditioned buildings as "cooling points".Although temperatures in Brazil have since returned closer to average, the focus of the heat has now shifted southwards. North-western Argentina is set to see highs in the upper 30s to low 40s Celsius in the coming days, 10 to 15C above the seasonal average. However, unlike in Rio, these high temperatures are likely to set off thunderstorms, some of which may lead to some high rainfall totals in places. Continue reading...