Icy blast grips Chile with coldest May since 1950, triggers power cuts in Argentina

Chile’s capital, Santiago, has been experiencing record-low temperatures for several days, with minimum temperatures around 0 °C (32 °F). This cold spell has made May 2024 the coldest May since 1950, according to the Chilean meteorological agency. In some coastal regions and parts of Santiago, temperatures have dipped below freezing, a rare occurrence for this time of year.

• Santiago is experiencing an unusual cold snap for the time of year, making May 2024 the coldest in 74 years
• The event follows rare snowfall in the Santiago Metropolitan Region on May 7, causing massive power outages.
• The cold wave is also affecting Argentina, where energy demand has surged, leading to power cuts.

“Since 1950, that is, in the last 74 years, we had not had a cold wave as intense as the current one in May,” Climatologist Raul Cordero from the University of Santiago said.

“So we are in the presence of the longest cold wave ever recorded in the capital, at least since 1950 for fall.”

Typically, incursions of cold air from Antarctica that drive temperatures below zero occur from June onwards, not in May, Cordero said.

In response to the severe cold, Chile’s government issued frost alerts for most of the country and increased assistance for homeless people struggling to endure the frigid conditions.

On May 7, Santiago experienced a rare early-season snowfall, which caused widespread power outages affecting 225 000 customers.

The snowfall so early in the Southern Hemisphere winter season was unexpected as the city typically experiences mild winters with cool temperatures and rain. Santiago’s temperate semi-arid climate, with Mediterranean patterns and relatively low altitude, rarely sees below-freezing temperatures or snow.

This week’s cold snap is also affecting parts of Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

In Argentina, energy demand surged, leading to supply cuts to dozens of gas stations and industries in several provinces to prevent household outages, according to CECHA, the country’s main hydrocarbon organization.

In Brazil, this cold front sweeping from Antarctica is colliding with warm Amazon air, fueling heavy rainstorms. The country has seen extremely heavy rainfall since the start of the month, particularly in Rio Grande do Sul where many cities, including the capital Porto Alegre, experienced record floods in which more than 140 people lost their lives.

Numerical forecast models call for the cold to persist until May 20, but still below average until May 22/23 across much of Chile and Argentina. This is expected to be followed by another burst of very cold air, affecting Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay on May 24 and 25.

Just 3 months ago, officials in Santiago were issuing Red Alerts for extreme heat.

References:

¹ Chile’s capital faces fiercest cold snap in decades – Reuters – May 16, 2024

² An unusual autumn freeze grips parts of South America, giving Chile its coldest May in 74 years – AP – May 18, 2024

Featured image: 850 hPa Temperature Anomaly model for May 17, 2024. Credit: Tropical Tidbits, GFS.