Hail and storms hit Buenos Aires province
Severe weather broke out on Sunday across various parts of Buenos Aires province, with hail reported in several localities. Navarro was among the areas affected during the morning, while hail also fell in Bragado, Alberti and nearby zones. The National Meteorological Service (SMN) upgraded its storm alert to orange for different sectors of the province, warning of storms of varying intensity, some locally strong, accompanied by heavy rainfall in short periods, intense electrical activity, wind gusts and occasional hail.[S1][S2][S3]
New storm areas were entering from the northwest and could affect different parts of the province with variable intensity. The forecast includes rainfall accumulations of between 20 and 50 millimetres, though higher amounts could occur in isolated spots. Wind gusts from the east were expected to reach up to 50 kilometres per hour, and the meteorological situation was expected to continue evolving throughout the day.[S1][S2][S3]
Affected localities and safety recommendations
The SMN listed numerous localities under the warning, including 25 de Mayo, 9 de Julio, Alberti, Bragado, Cañuelas, Carlos Casares, Carlos Tejedor, Chivilcoy, General Belgrano, General Las Heras, General Viamonte, La Matanza, Lincoln, Lobos, Marcos Paz, Navarro, Pehuajó, Roque Pérez, San Miguel del Monte, San Vicente and Suipacha, among other areas. In Navarro, located about 125 kilometres from the City of Buenos Aires, the sky darkened completely shortly before 8:30 am and a fierce hailstorm surprised residents. Large ice stones remained unmelted on lawns and roofs more than two hours after the episode, and photos and videos shared on social media showed sizable hailstones that struck homes and vehicles.[S1][S2][S3]
The phenomenon also hit nearby cities such as Bragado and Alberti, where streets and fields were left white. The SMN reminded the public to take extreme precautions on the roads, secure loose objects and avoid sheltering near trees or electricity poles given the persistence of adverse conditions. The agency recommended following its updates as the storms advance.[S1][S3]
