MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Rare snowfall recorded in parts of Uruguay

Other snowfalls were reported in the Argentine province of Buenos Aires, but none in densely populated areas

An unusual snowfall was recorded Monday in the Uruguayan departments (provinces) of Colonia, Soriano, and Maldonado. The rare event, last seen in 2021, was recorded in areas like Nueva Palmira, Agraciada, Cardona, and Cerro Catedral in Maldonado.

The Brazilian weather forecasting company Metsul and local meteorologists had predicted the phenomenon due to a polar air mass and an extratropical cyclone, with temperatures dropping to -3°C in some areas. Historical snowfalls in Uruguay include notable events in 1917, 1960, 1980, 1991, and 2021.

¡NIEVE EN URUGUAY AHORA!

No puedo creer haber podido vivir la nieve en mi país y que haya sido intensa, esto sucedió en el cerro catedral, Maldonado, Uruguay, hace minutos pic.twitter.com/wMi1k6ErRJ

— Mati Mederos (@MatiMederosURU) June 23, 2025

According to Metsul, using a German model, snow would fall in some points of southern Uruguay. “We recall that being an area of low altitudes, snow is rare,” they wrote.

The last snowfall in Uruguay occurred in July 2021, in high areas of the departments of Lavalleja and Maldonado, with snow and sleet falling. Snowfalls are rare in the country and usually occur in elevated areas or during specific weather phenomena.

#Nieve en Cardona, Soriano subido por un ciudadano VIDEO Sergio Perez pic.twitter.com/DCrPLgIs46

— Meteorología Estación bcp (@Estacion_bcp) June 23, 2025

The most significant snowfall in recent years took place in August 1991 in Florida, although other cases have also been recorded in Cerro Colorado (Florida) in 1991 and Carrasco (Montevideo) in 1980.

Meteorology student Mati Mederos's postings on social media about what was happening in Cerro Catedral in Maldonado went viral, making the self-appointed “storm-chaser” a celebrity. “I can't believe I was able to experience snow in my country and that it was intense,” he wrote.

Days ago, meteorologist Nubel Cisneros had warned of a possible “weak snowfall” in Uruguay before the end of the month.

Other snowfalls were reported in the Argentine province of Buenos Aires, but none in densely populated areas.