Rare snow transformed Argentina’s Atlantic coast into a winter wonderland on Monday, as an intense polar cold front swept across the country, blanketing beaches and resort towns in Buenos Aires Province. Residents of coastal communities such as Miramar, Monte Hermoso, Mar del Plata, Costa del Este, and San Eduardo del Mar awoke to find their sandy shores and streets hidden beneath a layer of snow, a phenomenon not seen in the region since 2013 and the heaviest snowfall in more than three decades.
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Argentina’s National Meteorological Service (SMN) explained that this unusual event was triggered by a surge of cold, humid air, driven northward by strong southern and southwestern winds. Temperatures in the affected areas dipped to between 0°C and 1°C, prompting weather alerts for both rain and snow.
The polar front’s reach extended far beyond the coast, bringing rare snowfalls to areas such as Tucumán, southern Córdoba, La Pampa, Mendoza, Neuquén, and Chubut. In Trelew, snow returned after more than ten years, while in Puerto Madryn, a soccer match had to be suspended due to the weather. In the southern provinces of Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego, snowfall exceeded 10 inches (25 centimeters).
Meteorologists noted that, over the past 48 hours, Argentina was the coldest country on the planet, with readings such as 18.5ºF (-7.5°C) in Malargüe (Mendoza), 21.2ºF (-6°C) in La Quiaca (Jujuy), 23ºF (-5°C) in Bariloche (Río Negro), and 24.8ºF (-4°C) in El Calafate (Santa Cruz). The cold air mass, originating in Antarctica, swept across nearly the entire country, bringing frosts and subzero temperatures even to provinces that are usually milder.
Health authorities responded by issuing yellow and orange alerts for extreme cold, urging extra care for vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and those lacking adequate heating. The SMN predicted that the cold snap would linger for several days, with temperatures expected to rise gradually only after Thursday, as winds begin to shift from the north.
While snowfall is a familiar feature in Argentina’s southern regions and the Andes, such a spectacle along the Atlantic coast remains a true rarity, thanks to the typically moderating influence.
