The cities of Cusco and Urubamba, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, have seen temperatures exceed 28°C and 30°C this month—surpassing figures recorded during the same period in previous years—according to the National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology (Senamhi).
Senamhi specialist Elizabeth Díaz Carhuaricra confirmed that the Cusco region is experiencing exceptionally high temperatures.
“We are seeing anomalies of 3 to 4 degrees above the typical temperatures we are accustomed to. These values ??are being exceeded across virtually the entire Cusco department,” said Díaz.
“While we have seen such temperatures before, those were isolated, atypical occurrences, not the sustained, consecutive events we are experiencing during this time of year,” she added.
Díaz Carhuaricra explained that Cusco has experienced very clear, cloudless days with no rainfall.
“There is very little moisture moving into the area, the heat feels intense, and ultraviolet radiation is extremely strong,” she noted.
She indicated that these high temperatures—accompanied by a lack of rainfall—could persist until early next autumn, as part of the disruptive effects caused by the El Niño phenomenon.
Meanwhile, she noted that this intense heat was briefly tempered last weekend when the city and parts of the region experienced short-lived rainfall, which even helped to mitigate some forest fires.
According to the specialist, the region has entered its twelfth cold spell (*friaje*), which is helping to reduce the impact of the heat by bringing a degree of moisture and cloud cover to the highland areas of the region. It was also noted that there was cloud cover in the jungle region (Paucartambo, Quispicanchi), which reduces the perceived heat.
“Furthermore, liquid and solid precipitation is expected in the higher-altitude areas,” she emphasized.
“Following this, we will experience warmer days, as the El Niño phenomenon leads to a reduction in rainfall in the city of Cusco. Compared to other years under normal conditions, we will see more days with less cloud cover. In previous years, there were more cloudy days during these months,” she concluded.
(END) PHS/MAO / MDV
Published: 10/19/2026