There is a red and orange alert for extreme cold, snow and storms for this Wednesday, July 22: affected provinces

The Argentine weather service issued orange and yellow alerts for severe weather conditions affecting multiple provinces on Monday, July 20. These warnings include thunderstorms, snowfall, rainfall, and strong winds, with some areas facing potentially dangerous situations for people, property, and the environment. Eleven provinces will be impacted, according to the National Weather Service (SMN), which operates under the Ministry of Defense. In Corrientes province, an orange-level alert has been issued for thunderstorms. The region can expect isolated strong storms, some of which could be severe, accompanied by heavy rain over short periods, hail of varying sizes, intense electrical activity, and wind gusts exceeding 90 kilometers per hour. Accumulated precipitation is forecasted to range between 40 and 70 millimeters, though this could be exceeded in certain spots. An orange alert for snowfall applies to western Mendoza and southwestern San Juan. Intense and prolonged snowfall is anticipated, with accumulations ranging from 100 to 150 centimeters during the alert period, possibly surpassing these figures in specific locations. Strong winds, potential whiteout conditions, and reduced visibility are also expected in these regions. Yellow-level alerts for thunderstorms cover southeastern Corrientes and Misiones. These areas face isolated thunderstorms of varied intensity, some of which could be strong or locally severe, bringing heavy rain, hail, wind gusts, and significant electrical activity. Expected accumulated precipitation ranges from 20 to 50 millimeters, with possible exceedances in certain areas. A yellow alert for snowfall affects western La Rioja, northwest San Juan, and parts of northwest Mendoza. Persistent snowfall of varying intensity is predicted, with accumulations between 30 and 50 centimeters per day, potentially higher in some cases. In lower areas, precipitation might fall as snow or sleet, while strong winds could lead to whiteout conditions and reduced visibility. Yellow alerts for rainfall apply to southern Buenos Aires and eastern Río Negro. These regions anticipate persistent rainfall with accumulated precipitation between 10 and 20 millimeters, possibly exceeding these amounts in specific instances. Additionally, a yellow alert for strong winds covers western San Juan, La Rioja, and Catamarca, along with sections of western Tucumán, Salta, and Jujuy. High-altitude areas may experience winds from the west with speeds between 60 and 80 kilometers per hour, with gusts reaching up to 100 kilometers per hour. This phenomenon could reduce visibility significantly. Another yellow alert for Zonda winds affects central Catamarca, western Tucumán, central Salta, and central Jujuy. Wind speeds are expected to range between 30 and 45 kilometers per hour, with gusts potentially exceeding 70 kilometers per hour. This can cause reduced visibility, sudden temperature increases, and very low relative humidity levels. For areas under thunderstorm alerts, the SMN recommends limiting travel unless necessary, staying indoors, avoiding flood-prone areas, disconnecting appliances if water enters, securing items that could be displaced by wind, and preparing an emergency kit containing clean water, food, flashlights, batteries, radios, and medical supplies. Regarding snowfall, the agency advises leaving home only if absolutely necessary, driving only with vehicles equipped for ice and snow, ventilating rooms to prevent carbon monoxide buildup, and having an emergency kit ready with essential supplies such as food, water, flashlights, first aid kits, and other necessities. On Sunday, July 19, the SMN had already issued similar alerts covering fourteen provinces, including orange-level wind alerts for Catamarca, Salta, Jujuy, and La Rioja. These areas may experience winds from the west with speeds between 60 and 80 kilometers per hour, with gusts reaching up to 100 kilometers per hour in high-altitude regions. For Misiones, Chaco, and Corrientes, the warning level was amber rather than orange, indicating less intense conditions. Orange-level Zonda wind alerts were issued for Salta and Jujuy, expecting wind speeds between 30 and 45 kilometers per hour, with gusts potentially exceeding 70 kilometers per hour. This can result in reduced visibility, sudden temperature rises, and very low humidity levels. Orange-level thunderstorm alerts applied to Corrientes, Entre Ríos, and Santa Fe, anticipating heavy rains with accumulated precipitation between 10 and 20 millimeters, which could be surpassed in certain areas. Higher elevation areas might see snow or mixed precipitation of rain and snow. Yellow-level snowfall alerts affected the mountainous regions of San Juan and Mendoza, predicting heavy snowfall with accumulations between 40 and 60 centimeters, potentially more in specific locations. Whiteout conditions and reduced visibility are likely in higher areas, while lower areas might experience mixed precipitation of rain and snow. In Patagonia, a yellow-level extreme cold alert covered southeast Chubut, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego, forecasting temperatures that could pose risks, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic illnesses. In Buenos Aires, temperatures on Sunday ranged from 10°C to 15°C, with cloudy skies and a 100% chance of rain and lightning activity at midday, dropping slightly to 10% by nightfall. On Monday, temperatures are expected to remain low with continued showers throughout the afternoon. Across Buenos Aires Province, temperatures will range from a minimum of 15°C to a maximum of 21°C, with mostly cloudy skies and sporadic showers scattered across the territory.