Buenos Aires Snow, First in 30 Years, Strains Energy Grid

[arcos]

Source: Bloomberg

July 9 (Bloomberg) -- Buenos Aires recorded its first snowfall in more than 30 years, threatening to exacerbate an energy shortage in the country that has forced the government to reduce electricity and natural gas supplies to businesses.

It's the first time since 1973 that Buenos Aires experienced any snowfall, according to the national meteorological center. With temperatures set to decline overnight, the city may record significant snow cover for only the second time since June 22, 1918.

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To ensure sufficient residential energy, President Nestor Kirchner has in the past month asked 4,000 companies to curtail electricity use and applied gas restrictions to about 900 businesses.

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Kirchner blames utility companies for failing to make new investments in exploration and production. Demand for electric power rose 6.3 percent in the first quarter, compared with a 4.4 percent increase in supply, according to Investigaciones Economicas Sectoriales, a Buenos Aires economic-research company.

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Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aiep4.FUxqLo&refer=latin_america

[nerddem]

1. snow fell in la paz, bolivia too. really weird nt

[Delphinus]

3. Why is it weird?

I think it's winter time in South America. Are they one of the milder climes?

[arcos]

4. Because, at least Buenos Aires, had not seen snow for 30 years... nt

[knowledgeispwr]

5. Yes, more or less.

In much of central and northern Argentina, outside of the mountains, snowfall is rare. Most places that saw snow there yesterday hadn't seen it in 25-40 years. The last time there was a comparable snowfall in Buenos Aires was in 1918, as the OP mentions.

That's not to say it doesn't normally get chilly in wintertime there though.

ETA: I don't think it's weird it snowed in La Paz though. La Paz has a high elevation and I think they normally see snow in the winter, but their recent snow was significantly heavier than normal from what I've read.

[Tesha]

2. Well, at least it's not Bug Meteors yet. (NT)

[AlGore-08.com]

6. But, but, but... James Inhofe told me global warming is a hoax!