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Polar Cold Snap Grips Uruguay Amid Mixed Meteorological Interpretations
🇺🇾 Uruguay /Environment & Climate

Polar Cold Snap Grips Uruguay Amid Mixed Meteorological Interpretations

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Uruguay is experiencing a polar cold snap, with temperatures dropping significantly across the country.
  • Meteorologists offer varying interpretations, from a "polar cold wave" to "normal fluctuations for the season."
  • Forecasts predict cold conditions to persist until at least Thursday, with potential for frost in some areas.

Uruguay is currently facing a significant drop in temperatures, with meteorologists describing the phenomenon in various terms, ranging from a "polar cold wave" to "normal fluctuations for the season."

We have a very cold air mass after an autumn with temperatures above normal and very low precipitation.

— José SerraMeteorologist José Serra explaining the current cold weather in Uruguay.

Meteorologist José Serra noted that the cold air mass follows an autumn with above-normal temperatures and low precipitation. While he doesn't classify it as a cold wave, Serra anticipates it will bring "instability, cloudiness, and isolated precipitation." Temperatures in Montevideo are expected to range between 4°C and 13°C, with rural areas potentially dropping to -2°C.

Mario Bidegain, another meteorologist, shared data showing the entry of polar air from the west, with recorded temperatures as low as 0.5°C in Salto and 1°C in Young and Tacuarembó. He posted on X (formerly Twitter) that temperatures at 8:00 AM on Tuesday showed minimums of -0.9°C in Junín (Argentina) and 0.5°C in Salto, Uruguay.

Polar air is observed to be entering the west of the country, with temperatures of 0.5°C in Salto, 1°C in Young and Tacuarembó, 1.1°C in Mercedes and 1.6° in Paysandú. In Prado (MVD) 8.1°C.

— Mario BidegainMeteorologist Mario Bidegain sharing temperature data on X.

Guillermo Ramis, however, sees no "strange phenomenon," stating there are no conditions for snow or sleet. He mentioned the possibility of a frontal depression with thunderstorms on Sunday and potential snow in July or August due to El Niño. Ramis emphasized that the week will be characterized by cloudiness and cool days, with maximums around 10°C and minimums potentially reaching 4°C by Friday, along with agricultural frost inland.

There is no strange phenomenon. There are no conditions for snow, nor for sleet. Yes, on Sunday there will be the formation of a frontal depression, with rain with some storm cells. There may be some episode of snow towards July or August due to the El Niño phenomenon.

— Guillermo RamisMeteorologist Guillermo Ramis commenting on the weather patterns in Uruguay.

In contrast, meteorologist Núbel Cisneros clearly identifies it as a "polar cold wave," predicting intense cold combined with the possibility of sleet showers from Montevideo to the Rocha coast. The Brazilian meteorological agency Metsul forecasts this as the "most intense polar cold wave of the year," expecting extreme temperatures.

We have to add to the intense cold the probability of showers in the form of sleet from Montevideo to the coast of Rocha.

— Núbel CisnerosMeteorologist Núbel Cisneros describing the expected weather conditions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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