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The document identifies a strong correlation between Pacific sea surface temperature patterns and water availability in the Andes of central Chile and Argentina. It highlights that El Niño years typically correspond with high snowpack and streamflow, while La Niña years often align with low levels. Furthermore, the document links multi-decadal shifts in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) to significant changes in mean annual river discharges, suggesting that the interplay between ENSO and PDO is critical for forecasting future water scarcity.

The document examines the relationship between Pacific Ocean temperature patterns and water availability in the semi-arid regions of central Chile and west-central Argentina. It identifies that winter snowpack is the primary water source for these areas and is strongly influenced by ENSO and PDO cycles. Specifically, El Niño events correlate with high snow and flow, while La Niña events generally correlate with dry years. The document also notes that shifts in the PDO in the 1940s and 1970s coincided with significant changes in average river flows, suggesting that multidecadal PDO behavior drives low-frequency hydrological variations in the region.