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I understand this is an El Nino year for Peru. Does anyone know what that means for weather in the Cordillera Blanca during the climbing season (e.g. June-August)? I've heard that precipitation is likely to be significantly higher than normal.

I am going to Peru in July and have extensively researched this. Luckily the El Nino isn't supposed to take off until mid-summer. Current forecasts keep it at Enso Neutral until mid-late July. That being said...a strong El nino will effectively shut down the climbing season in Peru

Thanks. I'm also planning on Peru in July.
So if there's fullbore El Nino conditions in the mountains, I'm guessing that means a lot more snow and hence increased avy risk and many more hidden crevasses. Is that your understanding as well

Interesting Matt. I had wondered the same thing when I first wrote that other post on El Nino this year.

I had noticed the references to it starting 'mid summer' etc in various sources, but they were US sources i.e. North America, and not Peru-specific. The timing of noticeable impacts on US, Peru/Bolivia and Australia etc are different.

Do you have some links to something that confirms impact on Peru later rather than sooner?

I read a NOAA report yesterday regarding South America (will look for the link) basically saying it would hit in the fall (southern hemisphere, so around september), and that so far "fatalist" reports have been exaggerated considering most were base on may patterns, which is normally an "erratic" month. Although very likely, still too early to say it is going to be so bad (as to shut down a climbing season).

Anyways, we had heavy rain last friday and since then the weather is just getting better. There´s a lot of snow in the mountains, but nothing out of the ordinary for this time of the season.