Meanwhile, an intense heat wave is affecting much of Europe and a large part of the United States.
The Argentine coastal city of Mar del Plata awoke Thursday blanketed in snow for the first time in 35 years as an intense polar air mass swept across much of the country.
The snowfall, accompanied by periods of sleet, surprised residents and tourists, who began sharing images early in the day of beaches, streets and vehicles covered in white, an unusual sight for one of Argentina’s leading Atlantic coast tourist destinations.
Argentina’s National Meteorological Service maintained yellow alerts for extreme cold temperatures across 18 provinces.
In addition to Mar del Plata, snowfall or sleet was reported in communities including Miramar, Sierra de los Padres and areas near Necochea, as the polar air mass continued advancing across central and northern Argentina.
According to local media, the last snowfall of similar magnitude in Mar del Plata occurred Aug. 1, 1991, although smaller snow events have also been recorded in subsequent years.
Nieve en Mar del Plata pic.twitter.com/NvWyjHW4EL— Esteban Salinas (@SalinasEsteban) July 2, 2026
❄️ Ola polar en Argentina: Situación meteorológicaLa actual masa de aire polar continúa afectando gran parte del país, generando temperaturas muy bajas y fenómenos invernales en distintas regiones. Durante la jornada se registraron episodios de nieve y aguanieve en sectores… pic.twitter.com/ajAE3qcnmj— un mundo loco (@unmundolocoweb) July 2, 2026
Weather forecasts had already indicated favorable conditions for snow, sleet and graupel — small ice pellets — because of the arrival of one of the strongest polar air masses recorded since late May, Diario La Nación reported.
The drop in temperatures increased demand for heating, as the Argentine government moves forward with changes to the Cold Zone program, which partially subsidizes natural gas consumption in Mar del Plata and other municipalities with high winter energy demand.
2 JUL | ❄️ Nieve en Tres Arroyos, provincia de Buenos Aires
Por unos pocos minutos se registró una nevada corta pero intensa que llegó a acumular una pequeña capa blanca sobre las superficies.
Video de Danisa H.
pic.twitter.com/r3BvWjqgMn— Cindy (@cindymfernandez) July 2, 2026
Meanwhile, the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing the opposite weather pattern.
An intense heat wave is affecting much of Europe, where several countries, including Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Portugal, have recorded temperatures exceeding 108 degrees Fahrenheit, according to meteorological reports.
In the United States, parts of the Northeast are bracing for hazardous levels of heat and humidity ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend, with the National Weather Service warning that the heat index could exceed 110 degrees F in some areas.
Major to extreme heat risk conditions are expected to stretch from the Midwest to the East Coast, with the highest-risk areas including New York City, Washington and Philadelphia. About 160 million people are expected to be affected by the heat wave.
