Copiapo, Chile

Weather Underground Forecast for Saturday, February 11, 2012.

Areas of active weather will develop across the Caribbean Sea and Latin America on Saturday. A strong low pressure system that moves off the East Coast of the US will create a cold front that sweeps through the Gulf of Mexico and into the northern Caribbean Sea. This system will bring scattered showers and thunderstorms to the Bahamas, southern Florida, Cuba, and the Yucatan Peninsula. Behind this system, a ridge of high pressure builds over the Gulf of Mexico and creates clockwise flow that pushes abundant moisture into eastern Mexico and Texas. This will produce scattered scattered showers throughout most of eastern and central Mexico. Mexico City will be overcast with a chance of showers and highs in the mid-50s(F)/ lower teens(C).

To the south, a monsoon trough of low pressure extends over Central America and pulls moisture in from the western Caribbean Sea. This will support scattered thunderstorm activity from Nicaragua through Panama throughout the day.

In South America, onshore flow from the Pacific Ocean continues and allows for more wet weather across Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. Periods of heavy rainfall and strong storms may develop along the coasts. In the south, a low pressure system moves off the coast of southern Brazil but an associated front lingers onshore. This kicks up showers and thunderstorms over Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Further south, periods of heavy precipitation continue over southern Chile and Argentina as a system passes to the south. .