MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Extremely cold weather triggers yellow alert in 17 Argentine provinces

These temperatures can be dangerous for risk groups, such as children, people over 65 years of age, and people with chronic diseases, said the SMN

A total of 17 Argentine provinces are under yellow alert due to weather forecasts heralding extremely cold temperatures, the National Meteorological Service (SMN) announced Friday. The SMN also said these temperatures reaching -10.8 degrees Celsius in El Calafate, Santa Cruz (south), and -8.9 degrees in La Quiaca, Jujuy (north), might be dangerous for children and elderly or chronically ill people.

The agency issued yellow alerts for localities in the provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Formosa, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán, Chaco, Corrientes, Misiones, Catamarca, La Rioja, San Juan, Mendoza, Córdoba, San Luis, La Pampa, Buenos Aires, and Santa Cruz.

The third coldest place in the country was Río Gallegos in Santa Cruz (south), with -8.5°C, followed by Gobernador Gregores, San Julián, and Perito Moreno with -8; -5.2 and -5, respectively, in the same province, followed by -4.8 in Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego.

Extreme temperatures triggered the yellow alert, which means that “they can be dangerous, especially for risk groups, such as children, people over 65 years of age, and people with chronic diseases,” said the SMN.

The areas affected by extreme cold include much of Mendoza, including its capital, which expects a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 11 degrees, and the town of Malargüe, where the minimum temperature is located at -6 degrees; the entire province of La Rioja, whose capital is expected up to 2 degrees; San Juan, with up to -2 minimum; all of Tucumán; and a small part northeast of Catamarca, bordering Tucumán.

No alert was issued for the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA), but the temperature will drop considerably on Saturday, it was forecast.

According to the SMN, the yellow alert will last until Saturday at 5.24 pm in the provinces of Chaco, Córdoba, Formosa, La Pampa, La Rioja, Misiones, Santa Cruz, San Juan, San Luis, and Santiago del Estero. The alert was also issued for the Falkland/Malvinas Islands.