It is probably the most extreme heat day of the entire summer 2024. This was warned by the National Meteorological Service (SMN) when reporting on the high temperatures that persist in a hello of heat that does not give in and overwhelms. The City of Buenos Aires and the Conurbano are under red alert for extreme temperatures and a maximum of 39 degrees.
With partly cloudy skies, the minimum temperature will be 27 degrees and the maximum will reach 39 degreesthe highest for these days of intense heat.
The red level of the extreme temperature alert indicates that the heat may have a “high to extreme health effect”. According to the SMN, these temperatures are “very dangerous” and “can affect all people, even healthy ones.”
Heat also harms the health of pets who can fall victim to a heatstroke. Specialists recommend keeping pets hydrated and sheltered from the sun.
What is atmospheric blockage and why did it generate a heat wave in Patagonia that will reach Buenos Aires.
Record in electrical energy consumption
This first of February, thousands of users suffered power outages after the electrical network would collapse due to a new record in energy consumption. In the midst of the red alert, thousands of residents in the AMBA They are still without light.
According to ENRE data, at 7:30 a.m. there were 15 thousand users affected by the supply cut (8 thousand from Edesur and 7 thousand from Edenor). The problem was that the record demand for electrical energy was exceeded, with 29,029 MW, according to the wholesale administrator CAMMESA (Company Administrator of the Wholesale Electricity Market) and there was a peak of 59,000 users without service.
Due to what happened, the Ministry of Energy decided to increase the daily averages of electricity imports from neighboring countries, and put into operation, with minimal technical reserves, to mitigate system saturation.
Given this level of system demand, which may be extended to the next few days with the heat wave continuity forecastthe energy portfolio established measures to feed the Interconnection System (SADI) with greater energy.
In the first instance, an average daily import of electrical energy from Brazil was set at 1,529 MW, Uruguay at 177 MW, Bolivia at 100 MW and Chile at 80 MW, to complete the generation supply.
Historic heat wave in Patagonia: Bariloche reached the monthly record for maximum temperature.
How long will the heat continue?
The SMN anticipates for this Saturday, February 3, a day with somewhat to partially cloudy skies and a temperature that will be between 26 degrees minimum and (again) 39 maximum. For Sunday the 4th, the sky will be somewhat cloudy and a drop in temperature is expected, with a minimum that will be 22 degrees and a maximum of 30.
High temperatures affect much of the country. This Friday, only the southern region of Patagonia (Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego) did not have current alerts for heat. In the rest of the country, there were warnings of red, orange and yellow levels.
What to expect in the coming months?
The National Meteorological Service (SMN) released this week the Quarterly Climate Forecast (PCT) for the next 3 months, which predicts “a greater frequency of extremely high maximum temperatures” in the northwest, north, Cuyo and south of Patagonia, while temperatures will be normal in the provinces of La Pampa, Buenos Aires and the city of Buenos Aires.
“It is not ruled out, especially at the beginning of the quarter, that towards the extreme north, northwest and center-west of the country a greater frequency of extremely high maximum temperatures may be observed, potentially favoring the occurrence of heat waves with probable heat waves,” the report stated.
Regarding rainfall in the February, March and April quarters, the SMN expects them to be above normal over the southern coast, and between normal or above normal in the northern coast, Santa Fe and Córdoba.
Meanwhile, rains will be normal in the northern region and over eastern Patagonia, and less than normal in the northwest region, and over western and southern Patagonia.
JPO/ LT