On Tuesday, February 10, the arrival of a cold front caused a surprising snowfall in Bariloche and El Bolsón, located in the northwest of Río Negro, blanketing two areas that had experienced extreme temperatures and a risk of forest fires just a few days prior. This morning, both Cerro Catedral and the peaks of Piltriquitrón were covered in snow with an average temperature of -4 degrees, surprising tourists and residents during the summer season. According to the National Meteorological Service (SM), a cold front from the Pacific advanced over the Cordillera at the height of Río Negro and Neuquén, generating the snowfall, which notably transformed the landscape of the area. Furthermore, the agency's report anticipated that the phenomenon would last for at least one more day. The contrast was striking, considering that just last weekend the thermometer had reached 30 degrees, an unusual value for the region. However, the snowfall brought some relief to a part of the province exposed to fires at this time of year, shortly after the provincial government had declared a fire emergency in Río Negro. Meanwhile, Civil Defense authorities asked for extreme caution, especially from tourists traveling along Route 40, the main corridor of unparalleled beauty that connects several Patagonian cities between Río Negro and Neuquén.
