Winter starts with a bang: experts confirm the arrival of the most intense polar cold wave of the year in Uruguay

By Ashley Benavidez

Autumn says goodbye, giving way to an adverse meteorological scenario that will light the stoves throughout the national territory before the imminent arrival of the polar cold wave in Uruguay, considered the crudest of the entire annual period. The first reports from the Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology (Inumet) indicate that during this weekend a marked decrease in thermal marks will begin to consolidate, accompanied by isolated rainfall in various areas.

The icy mornings and agrometeorological frosts have already been felt in various parts of the country. The winter solstice, scheduled for this Sunday, June 21, will mark the definitive breaking point in the atmosphere. Local technicians explained that, although the weekend will present maximum records close to 14.5°C, the panorama will change drastically starting in the early hours of Monday.

According to the technical report of the Brazilian agency Metsul, a powerful front of Antarctic origin will cover the region. This phenomenon will cause temperatures to plummet steadily starting on Monday, June 22, reaching its most intense stage between Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, affecting the northern part of the country especially hard.

Meteorologists' forecast on the polar cold wave in Uruguay

In the messaging groups of rural producers and in the daily conversations at bus stops, the obligatory topic of conversation became the intensity of this winter. The computer models of the European Weather Forecast Center confirm the advance of the freezing core over the border departments.

The specialist Mario Bidegain used his digital platforms to detail the projections of the WRF7 model, anticipating that the maximums will reach ceilings of just 9°C and 10°C towards the middle of the week.

For his part, expert José Serra pointed out that the phenomenon will be accompanied by long-awaited rains for the agricultural sector, considering the lack of significant rainfall that the country has been experiencing since the first days of May. Likewise, Serra highlighted that this scenario of extreme temperatures plays a fundamental biological role for the countryside, helping to naturally combat agricultural pests such as ticks in livestock herds.

Southwest winds and below-zero thermal sensations due to the polar cold front

The rigor of the weather conditions will be enhanced due to the presence of strong air currents. Meteorologist Guillermo Ramis, in his radio interventions, warned that the entry of a powerful high pressure system will be directly responsible for these thermal invasions that will affect crops and the routine of citizens.

In an even more alarming line of analysis, specialist Nubel Cisneros anticipated extremely complex days due to the combination of low marks and gusts in the southwest sector. According to their estimates, thermal sensations will be around 2°C and even below 0°C in suburban areas. Faced with this adverse panorama, health authorities and social assistance services are already preparing their contingency devices to protect the most vulnerable populations during the most critical nights of the month.