The National Meteorological Service (SMN) has declared a red alert for extreme cold in the southern region of the country, particularly in the Patagonia. This warning has a special emphasis on Santa Cruz and mountainous areas, where temperatures have dropped to levels so low that they can affect the health of healthy individuals.
The extreme weather conditions are not limited to low temperatures; a strong snowstorm and intense swells have also been recorded along the Atlantic coast, causing minor damage and disrupting local traffic.
Impact on Health and Consequences in Patagonia
According to reports from the Télam agency and media such as Clarín and Meteored, a mass of polar air has caused wind chill temperatures below -10 degrees. In this situation, the Subsecretariat of Civil Protection and public health authorities have asked residents to reduce their outings and take safety measures at home to avoid hypothermia or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Recommendations have been issued to dress in layered clothing and maintain adequate ventilation in gas-heated spaces, especially for children, the elderly, and people with chronic conditions, who are more vulnerable to extreme cold.
In coastal areas, storm surges have generated significant waves that caused temporary flooding. This forced authorities to implement preventive traffic cuts to avoid accidents.
Additionally, the National Highway Administration has established restrictions on many Patagonian roads due to accumulated ice and low visibility caused by wind and continuous snowfall.
The Meteored forecast suggests that the pattern of low temperatures and high humidity will persist for several days, with possible new cold fronts and snowfalls in pre-mountainous regions.
Municipal authorities in Santa Cruz have organized special operations to distribute firewood and food in vulnerable areas without access to natural gas, trying to mitigate the impact of adverse weather.
Meteorology experts remind that a red alert indicates a significant risk to public health, so it is crucial to follow official recommendations while the influence of the polar air mass persists.
