The minimum temperature on Monday, June 24, was extraordinarily low in the countryIn fact, it is the lowest recorded in a territory on the planet outside the Arctic or Antarctic. -21.9ºC. Yeah, 21.9 degrees Celsius below the freezing point of water.
That’s the temperature they faced there in the Patagoniaand which was recorded at the meteorological station at the Balmaceda aerodrome, operated by the Chilean Meteorological Directorate (DMC). The registration occurred at 06:38 a.m. local timewith which officially the season adds to the extensive cold wave that has been punishing the southern tip of the country for more than a week now.
The record for this Monday, June 24, corresponds to the third consecutive day with temperatures below the extreme cold threshold (10th percentile of daily minimum temperatures) at the Balmaceda station. And although it is expected that The minimum temperature remains negative at dawn on Tuesday (25)it would not be cold enough to continue the cold wave in that part of the country.
Cold wave in Magallanes
The cold has been extremely intense in recent days in various sectors of Magallanes, where some places register a extensive cold wave which lasts from the middle of the month. Futurein Tierra del Fuego, completed 9 days with minimums within 10% of the lowest recorded in the station, according to data available on the website of the Climate Services section of the DMC.
The streak of extreme cold in Puerto Nataleyeshow hard 6 consecutive dayswas cut off on Saturday (22), although with minimum temperatures that do not rise above 0 ºC.
He intense cold in Magallanes —and which also extends to the Aysén Region— is leaving the population in a very complicated situation, given that the water supply is interrupted in various parts of Patagonia as a result of freezing of distribution networks.
Many communities in the area suspended their classes During this Monday and on others the suspension will extend until June 25, mainly due to the lack of water, but also due to the intense cold and the accumulation of snow and ice.
In the midst of the current cold wave, more points in Patagonia registered temperatures below zerowith frost that have marked practically the entire day.
The 10 lowest temperatures in Chile on this cold Monday morning
These are the 10 lowest minimum temperatures recorded in the country, in official stations, ordered from coldest to coldest:
- Balmaceda (airfield) – Aysén Region: -21.9 °C
- Coyhaique (aerodrome) – Aysén Region: -12.7 °C
- Punta Arenas (airport) – Magallanes Region: -11.0 °C
- Puerto Natales (aerodrome) – Magallanes Region -9.8 °C
- Villa Tehuelche – Magallanes Region: -9.4 °C
- Puerto Williams (aerodrome) – Magallanes Region: -8.2 °C
- Puerto Williams – Magallanes Region -8.2 °C
- Visviri – Arica and Parinacota Region: -7.9 °C
- Punta Arenas (Patagonia Institute) – Magallanes Region: -7.8 °C
- Cerro Sombrero (Strait of Magellan) – Magallanes Region: -6.8 °C
Sources and references of the news:
– Meteorological Directorate of Chile. Cold Wave Monitoring; EMA data viewer.
– Ogimet: Ranking of meteorological variables in Chile.
