Buenos Aires sees first snowfall since 1918

[Shammu]

Buenos Aires sees first snowfall since 1918

Thousands of Argentines cheered and threw snowballs in the streets of Buenos Aires on Monday as the capital's first major snowfall since 1918 spread a thin white mantle across the region

Buenos Aires sees first snowfall since 1918

[Shammu]

First snow for 90 years makes it a cool party on Independence Day

BUENOS AIRES Thousands of Argentinians cheered in the streets to celebrate the first major snowfall in their capital for almost 90 years.

“This is the kind of weather phenomenon that comes along every 100 years,” Hector Ciappesoni, a weather forecaster, told La Nación newspaper.

Children scraped snow off cars to create snowballs, while motorists honked their horns, some with small snowmen on their bonnets.

“Despite all my years, this is the first time I’ve ever seen snow in Buenos Aires,” said Juana BenÍtez, an 82-year-old who joined children celebrating in the streets. The national weather service said it was the first major snow in Buenos Aires since June 22, 1918, though sleet has been occasionally reported in the decades since.

The snow fell on Independence Day Bank Holiday, adding to the carnival atmosphere and prompting radio stations to play What a Night! an old tango song inspired by the 1918 snowfall.

The icy conditions were caused by freezing air from the Antarctic hitting a moisture-laden area of low pressure. It follows a cold snap in late May when below-zero temperatures in the capital caused 23 deaths from exposure. (AP)

First snow for 90 years makes it a cool party on Independence Day