Imminent collision of air masses will cause a strong night storm

By Roy Rodriquez

The meteorological calm that allowed unusual thermal records for May is about to end abruptly. Atmospheric conditions will enter a phase of extreme instability during the last hours of this Wednesday, the product of a violent interaction between two air systems with opposite characteristics that will cross the national territory.

The factors behind the storms in Uruguay

The current scenario is the result of a pronounced thermal rise that took thermometers to 32 °C in the northern part of the country, while the metropolitan area experienced maximums of 28 °C. This accumulation of heat energy will serve as fuel for the cold frontal system advancing from the southern quadrant. The thermal contrast will be the trigger for phenomena of rapid formation and strong intensity.

MetSul has pointed out that this situation is the prelude to a cyclogenesis process that will lead to a extratropical cyclone over the Atlantic. The collision of air masses will generate cloudiness with great vertical development, which translates into abundant precipitation in short periods of time and electrical activity. The critical time for the start of rains It is around 10:00 p.m., marking the beginning of an early morning that is expected to be extremely difficult in terms of mobility.

Impact of instability and the cold front

The concern of specialists lies in the speed with which the cold front will displace the warm air that predominated during the day. Storm cells will begin to become widespread on the southern coast and the metropolitan area before spreading to the rest of the country. The wind gusts associated with the cold front are particularly intense in coastal areas.

This type of phenomenon, characterized by the collision of air masses, usually brings with it isolated hailstorms and a sudden decrease in the temperature. It is recommended to take extreme precautions against the possibility of sudden flooding and difficulties in the electrical supply due to the activity. electric and the gusts. The low pressure system will continue to deepen, suggesting that the instability will not be a passing event, but rather the beginning of a change in air mass radical that the winter cold will install.

Recommendations before the critical night

Given the forecast of a complex night, it is suggested that the population secure objects that could be moved by the wind and avoid driving through wooded areas or areas at risk of flooding. Weather monitoring will be constant, since the frontal system presents dangerous characteristics due to its speed of movement and the energy accumulated in the previous hours.

The transition to Thursday will be marked by the persistence of overcast skies and winds from the southern sector. Surveillance by MetSul and other regional organizations remains active, given that the deepening of the cyclone in oceanic waters could extend the effects of the storm for a good part of tomorrow, with gusts of wind sustained.