Weather in South America 2023 and up

[Mark]

https://electroverse.substack.com/p/chile-enters-spring-after-31-feet
Meteorological spring has arrived in Chile with fresh powder still piling up across the Andes—and one resort recording its snowiest season in roughly half a century.

Portillo reported another 15 cm (5.9 in) in the latest 24 hours and 114 cm (44.9 in) over seven days, lifting its 2026 seasonal snowfall to 933 cm (30.6 ft). The resort says this is its biggest snowfall season in about 50 years.

The deep winter extends across Chile.

Valle Nevado has accumulated 534 cm (17.5 ft) this season, while La Parva reached 393 cm (12.9 ft) after another 5 cm (2 in) in 24 hours and 23 cm (9 in) over the past week.

Farther south, Nevados de Chillán—pictured—reported 15 cm (5.9 in) of fresh snow and a season total of 276 cm (9.1 ft).

And at Corralco, 105 cm (41 in) fell from Aug 27–30 alone, pushing upper-mountain snow depth to 464 cm (15.2 ft).

[Mark]

A fierce polar outbreak has driven temperatures deep below freezing across much of southern South America, breaking cold records, returning snow to southern Brazil and pushing wintry air beyond 20°S.

In Argentina, Tandil plunged to -7.8C (18F), setting a new daily cold record, smashing the previous -4C (24.8F) mark from 1973.

General Pico fell to -4.9C (23.2F) on Sept 6, breaking the previous daily record of -4C (24.8F) from 1975. Buenos Aires dropped to 2.4C (36.3F) the same day, also setting a new daily record.

On Sept 7, Concordia reached -1.6C (29.1F), breaking the old -0.4C (31.3F) record from 2008, while Monte Caseros fell to 1.9C (35.4F), beating 2.3C (36.1F), also from 2008.

And across northern Buenos Aires Province, temperatures fell as low as -6.1C (21F).

At Berdier, near Salto, -4.5C (23.9F) tied the lowest September temperature in at least 60 years, matching the mark set in 2019. Junín dropped to -4.9C (23.2F), Rojas to -4.5C and Chacabuco to -4C (24.8F).

Farther west, Mendoza was colder still. Monte Comán crashed to -8.3C (17.1F), Villa Atuel to -8C (17.6F) and Palermo Chico to -7.7C (18.1F), with damaging frost striking fruit-growing districts already entering bloom.

At Mendoza itself, the official station fell to 0C (32F) on Sept 7, tying the daily record set in 1973.

The cold also broke records across the Andes in Chile. Balmaceda plunged to -9.4C (15.1F) on Sept 5, beating the previous daily record of -9C (15.8F) from 1976. A day later it fell to -9C (15.8F), smashing the Sept 6 record of -7.2C (19F) set in 1994.

The freeze spilled into Uruguay, where INUMET logged -4.2C (24.4F) in Lavalleja and -3C (26.6F) in Florida. Freezing readings covered much of the country’s center, south and east, with frost even reaching parts of the north and northeast.

The polar air then surged into southern Brazil.

At São Joaquim, Santa Catarina, the historical Epagri/INMET station fell to -4C (24.8F) on Sept 7—the coldest Sept 7 in its 72-year record, beating the previous -3C (26.6F) set in 1973. Nearby Caminhos da Neve reached -5.9C (21.4F).
https://electroverse.substack.com/p/south-america-suffers-record-cold

[Mark]

An early-spring polar outbreak has driven Tandil, Argentina to its coldest September temperature on record.

Tandil Aerodrome plunged to -7.8C (18F) this week, beating the previous September low of -7.1C (19.2F) set on Sept 14, 2003. Records here date back to 1960.

The cold was widespread across Buenos Aires Province.

SMN observations had Coronel Suárez at -3.2C (26.2F), Azul at -2.8C (27F) and Junín at -2C (28.4F).

General Pico dropped to -4.9C (23.2F) on Sept 6, a new calendar-day record; Buenos Aires itself reached 2.4C (36.3F) that same morning, also a Sept 6 record; and Monte Caseros fell to 1.9C (35.4F) on Sept 7, its lowest reading on record for that date.

The polar air also crossed the Río de la Plata.

Uruguay posted -5C (23F), the country’s lowest September temperature in INUMET’s modern record (back to 1981), beating the -4.5C (23.9F) set at Durazno on Sept 2, 1990, and coming within 0.6C of the longer national September record of -5.6C (21.9F).

Winter may be over on the calendar, but across southern South America it is reluctant to leave.

Below are the 2m temperature anomalies forecast Sept 12 (GFS):
https://electroverse.substack.com/p/tandil-breaks-september-cold-record

[Mark]

Chile’s extraordinary snow season has dropped another foot at Portillo, adding to what the resort describes as its snowiest season in at least half a century.

The latest snowfall follows 55 cm (22 inches) reported in the preceding week, with freezing conditions persisting across the high Andes despite the advance of Southern Hemisphere spring.

After a slow start in June, Portillo’s mountains were hammered by successive July storms. By July 20, the resort was reporting more than 4.5 m (15 ft) of accumulated snow, with the Los Libertadores border crossing and access roads shut for weeks.

The snow continued through August and September.

By early September, Portillo had accumulated 933 cm (30.6 ft) of seasonal snowfall. By September 22, the total had reached 1,021 cm (33.5 ft)—more than 10 meters against a historical seasonal average of approximately 5.1 meters.

Above-average snow extended well beyond Portillo.

https://electroverse.substack.com/p/another-foot-of-snow-hits-the-andes

[Mark]

Spring is struggling to sprung across Argentina, with Mar del Plata enduring nine consecutive days below 15C (59F) and subtropical Tucumán running almost 11C below its October norms.

At Mar del Plata Airport, daily highs have failed to reach 15C for nine straight days.

Farther north, San Miguel de Tucumán has endured seven consecutive days below 20C (68F), under persistent heavy cloud. Highs there have averaged just 17.9C (64F) across the stretch, compared with an October norm of 28.6C (83.5F).

By mid-October, average highs at both Mar del Plata and Tucumán are running colder than all previous Octobers in their historical archives.

The prolonged chill extends across much of Buenos Aires Province, including Necochea, Miramar and Claromecó.

Meanwhile, heavy snow struck the high Andes of Catamarca on Oct 15, forcing authorities to close access to Balcón del #&@%is, turn back vehicles and reschedule mountain excursions — adding to a bumper snow season across the Andes, with Portillo, Chile, recording its snowiest in at least 50 years.
https://electroverse.substack.com/p/spring-cold-grips-argentina-blizzards

[Mark]

Heavy rainfall and electrical storms battered Santiago, Chile on Tuesday afternoon (October 13), causing widespread flooding and chaos across the capital.

Eyewitness video showed floodwaters flowing down hail-covered streets. Reuters verified the location from the buildings and road layout, which matched archive and satellite imagery. The date and location were also confirmed through the original file's metadata.

The National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred) declared a red alert for the Metropolitan Region as hail blanketed streets in what residents described as winter-like conditions during spring. The municipalities of Providencia and Santiago Centro were the hardest hit, with flooded streets and collapsed roofs reported throughout the storm.

Santiago Metro closed several stations including Pedro de Valdivia and Salvador on Line 1 due to flooding at entrances, though train circulation continued unaffected, according to the transport company.
https://www.sott.net/article/508908-Hail-covers-streets-as-storm-hits-Santiago-Chile

[Mark]

Rivers swollen by heavy rains linked to El Niño continued flooding swaths of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay on Friday, forcing thousands of people from their homes and sending ranchers scrambling to move cattle to higher ground.

In Argentina's northeastern Corrientes province, the Paraná River rose to a dangerous 4.7 metres (15.4 feet) on Thursday in the riverside town of Ituzaingó, prompting evacuations there and in other towns across the province. Herds of cows waded across flooded pastures as ranchers guided them toward dry land. The calves struggled against a current thick with floating clumps of river plants. Provincial officials said they were digging canals and installing drains to prepare for more heavy rain.

The floodwaters come from three major rivers that start in Brazil and flow south through the region: the Paraná, the Uruguay and the Iguazú. Torrential rain has pushed all three waterways higher for days, spilling them over their banks in northeastern Argentina, southern Paraguay and western Uruguay
https://www.sott.net/article/508945-El-Nino-rains-flood-South-America-sending-residents-fleeing-and-cattle-swimming