Why the desert of Atacama is catalogued the place most driest of the world, and nevertheless, natural manifestations, like the florid desert are frecuent in Atacama.

The explanation is essentially in an natural phenomenon that is produced in all the occidenthals costs of the south hemisphery, between the paralel 10o and 25o south, where deserts exists.That is because of the presence in each ocean of centers of high pressure, that are located near to the coast that do not let croos the fronts that brings the rains to the land, produce by the crash of presurres.

The Atacama desert is considerated the most driest of the world, making a diference of others deserts located in the same latitudes, by a presence of a new natural factor...the existence of two mountain ranges located in east and west sides

Natural barrier, located on the east side of the Atacama desert, at 3500 mts.o.s.l.. that for one side stops the entrance of the humidity coming from the mountain range of Los Andes, and for other side is not a great capturer of snow.The only river that cross the zone of the Atacama desert is Loa river, after a range of 430 kilometers.

FLORID DESERT IN ATACAMA

The florid desert belongs to a bioclime changing zone between the north of Atacama and a marked zone of mediterranean weather, characterised by winter regular rains and a dry summer. This area belongs to the region of Atacama, the third one of Chile.

If in the valleys of the desert between Vallenar and Copiapo falls a guantity of water superior the annual range of the zone, this arids landscapes will change in an unique surprising spectacle.Millions of seeds, bulbs and insects that stayed under the ground, will spring with life with exhuberance and generosity. This occasional phenomenon it presents every certain years and to prepare tours between the first week of september and the second week of october.

Reccomendations for visiting the Florid Desert.

This phenomenon does not happen all the years, that is why we reccomend you to inform yourself before traveling.
You must remember that San Pedro de Atacama is just at few kilometers to the north of the Capricorn Tropic and that the phenomenon of the florid desert it develope in more meridian zones, that is 850 kilometers south of San Pedro de Atacama.
We reccomend you to travel directly to Vallenar and Copiapo cities, between the first week of september and the second week of october.