One of the largest wildflower blooms recorded in the Atacama Desert since 1997 is underway across northern Chile.

The event was triggered by record rainfall that fell across the desert between July and September, driven by the El Niño climate phenomenon.

The Atacama is one of the driest locations on Earth.

Two independent publications confirmed the bloom on 1 November 2026. Both rated this event among the most intense and extensive observed at the site in nearly three decades.