The Atacama Desert is in bloom. Desierto florido 2025 in Chile

A carpet of colorful flowers usually brings to mind a summer meadow. Yet, in early October, Chile’s Atacama Desert – typically dry and barren – has burst into abundant bloom. What causes this extraordinary phenomenon, and how long will it last?

Atacama – one of the driest places on Earth

Only the polar deserts of Antarctica receive less water than the Atacama Desert. In some parts of the Chilean desert, rainfall has never been recorded; in others, it occurs only two to four times per century. The long-term average amounts to barely 2 mm per year. Temperature differences between the local air and the cold ocean currents cause dense fogs to form above the ground – often the only source of water for the region’s plants and animals.

The landscape in this driest place on Earth resembles scenes from apocalyptic films. The entire plateau is covered by petrified lava rivers and salt basins. Living conditions are extremely harsh, yet flamingos, guanacos, and numerous species of lizards can still be found here. This year, their ecosystem has undergone a fascinating transformation.

A desert in full bloom

By late September, the Atacama had already begun to awaken. Now, it is covered with thousands of flowers in shades of fuchsia, pink, white, red, and yellow – a sight so mesmerizing that tourists are already flocking to the desert from Santiago, located 800 km away.

Victor Ardiles from Chile’s Museum of Natural History explained in an interview with AP News that this is a rare event, observed only once every few years. The last ones occurred in 2022 and 2017 but were much less spectacular. This year’s Atacama bloom is the result of unusually heavy rainfall in July and August – between 60 and 80 mm. Such lush greenery has not been seen on the Chilean desert in years.

But where do the flowers come from? Scientists explain that the Atacama Desert harbors dormant seeds of about 200 flowering plant species. Around 20 percent of them are endemic, meaning they exist nowhere else in the world. Most years, these seeds lie unchanged, waiting for rain. The exceptionally heavy precipitation that hit Chile this year triggered mass germination. Experts predict the flowers will last until November, drying out as summer begins in the Southern Hemisphere. Only drought-resistant species have a chance to survive until January.

Why this year?

Meteorologists link the heavy rainfall to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which consists of three phases: El Niño, La Niña, and the neutral phase. This year, Chile experienced extreme weather due to the departing El Niño, which always brings higher temperatures and intense rainfall. According to María Fernanda Pérez from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, blooming in the Atacama Desert requires a unique combination of warmth, humidity, and specific light conditions – and this year, all aligned perfectly.

Currently, La Niña is taking over globally, bringing cooler weather. Michelle L’Heureux from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) believes the phenomenon will likely last only a few months and should not cause major damage. However, North America may face severe snowstorms, Indonesia and the Philippines heavy rainfall, while Argentina, the Middle East, and eastern China may experience droughts.