Why is the Atacama Desert so dry?
Quick Answer
The Atacama is extremely dry because it lies in a subtropical high-pressure zone, is shadowed by the Andes, and is cooled by the cold Humboldt Current. Some parts have had almost no measurable rain for years at a time.
The Full Story
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is one of the driest places on Earth. Its dryness comes from several factors working together: descending air from the subtropical high-pressure belt suppresses cloud formation, the Andes block moist air from the east, and the cold Humboldt Current stabilizes the air over the Pacific coast. These conditions make rainfall exceptionally rare. In some areas, weather stations have recorded very little rain over long periods, and some parts are used as Mars-analog environments for research. Yet even this desert can occasionally bloom after unusual rain.
Key Facts
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