Jul 20, 2010
Arctic Blast Hits Southern South America
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
During the last week, one of the coldest air masses in decades has resulted in record low temperatures in all of southern South America from Tierra del Fuego to the Amazon. The city of Buenos Aires had its biggest snowfall in nearly a century. In fact, since late last week, twelve of Argentina's provinces recorded snowfall. All of southern Brazil experienced repeated hard freezes with temperatures in the mid-20. Snow was recorded in some of the higher elevations of southern Brazil. Over a thousand cattle were killed by the freezing temperatures in Mato Grosso do Sul. Even in Mato Grosso, near freezing temperatures were experienced for three consecutive nights. The coldest temperatures were seen over the weekend and now the cold seems to be moderating, but it was one for the record books.
Below freezing temperatures are normal in southern South America during this time of the year, but the difference this time was how cold it got and how far north the cold weather reached. One of the true indications of just how unusual these temperatures are was the death of over a thousand cattle in Mato Grosso do Sul. All the cattle that died were of the Nelore breed, which is the predominate breed of cattle in Brazil. These cattle are bread to withstand the hot and tropical climate of Brazil and they are sensitive to cold temperatures. It has been reported that the cattle were already in a weakened condition due to malnourishment even before the cold temperatures hit. The sudden drop in temperatures, which was accompanied by rain and strong winds, probably contributed to the cattle deaths. In Mato Grosso do Sul, the temperatures went from the upper 80's to below freezing in just a few days and apparently hundreds of cattle died of hypothermia.
In southern Mato Grosso, where you might experience a freezing temperature once in your lifetime, the temperature hovered near freezing for three consecutive nights. The temperatures are starting to moderate and by the end of the week; the high temperatures in southern Mato Grosso are forecasted to surpass 100 degrees!