The Amazon rain forest is experiencing a drought once again. The most devastating drought occurred in the Amazon Rain forest in 2005; during which the majority of the Amazon was impacted by lower water levels.

Five years later, a widespread drought has occurred again. Droughts normally occur during El Nino events, or periodic warm spells in the Southern Pacific waters.

In 2005, the Atlantic waters were unusually warm which created a vast number of hurricanes or low pressure centers that carried rain towards the United States. However, while hurricanes were forming north of the Amazon, high pressure was dominate near South America, preventing water from being carried on land.

The current drought is less intense than the drought 5 years ago, but it covers a much broader area. The current drought has affected central, northwest and the southwest Amazon, including parts of Columbia, Peru and northern Bolivia. A map of the Amazon is here.  The wet season does not start until December, so the local communities are concerned for the risk of disease and the quantity of fish, which is a major commodity.

The impact of the 2005 drought caused water levels in Santarém; which is where the Amazon and Tapajós River meet; to drop 15 meters (49 feet). A picture was taken of a boat traversing a part of the Amazon River with lower waters in northern Brazil. This drought, in general, could limit the growth rate of trees and make a forest more likely to burn.

The full article can be found here. More information on the 2005 drought can be found here.