SANTIAGO, CHILE — An extensive cold wave hits the capital of Chile, which woke up on Wednesday with temperatures close to zero degrees Celsius and could see snow again in the next few hours due to the arrival of a cold front that has plummeted temperatures in what is already considered the coldest May in the last 70 years.
Between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the temperature in Santiago bordered on zero degrees and, in the early hours of the day, reached a minimum of 0.3 degrees below zero, which was the coldest morning of the year, according to with a report from the Chilean Meteorological Directorate.
Wednesday’s low temperatures broke the record for the longest cold wave in the month of May in Santiago, as they surpassed the streak of eight consecutive days of extreme cold recorded in 1985.
Furthermore, this year 2024 is the coldest May experienced in the last 70 years, since the capital’s thermometers have not shown such low numbers since 1950, when records began, according to various meteorologists in separate reports.
The Chilean Meteorological Directorate also warned that precipitation is expected throughout Wednesday, which could cause snow in some areas of the city – something unusual in Santiago – especially in the highest areas and close to the mountain ranges.
Last week, various neighborhoods in Santiago had already recorded episodes of snow and sleet due to a frontal system that turned the city’s streets, sidewalks and parks white, with several citizens sharing snapshots and videos of the phenomenon on social networks.
Alert
Likewise, they warned of the arrival of a segregated low, a phenomenon that will last until Friday and that could cause snow showers, thunderstorms and moderate winds in several areas of Chile.
According to the Chilean Meteorological Directorate, the climatic phenomenon, which is characterized by a bubble of cold air that translates into a cold wave, caused the day to begin with “extreme temperatures” in six regions of the country, including Santiago, while in other parts, such as the Atacama Desert and Biobío, “it will cause snowfall and wind of up to 90 kilometers per hour.”
Likewise, in the midst of the intense cold, the authorities have renewed for the second time the so-called Code Blue for Wednesday and Thursday, an emergency measure that seeks to provide greater care and offer additional shelters to people experiencing homelessness.
Source: AP
