Extreme heatwave grips Argentina, crops at risk

Record temperatures hit Argentina as an extreme heatwave struck Buenos Aires and the surrounding regions, with conditions expected to continue for the coming days according to government authorities.
The National Weather Service warned that sustained high temperatures could lead to an official heatwave declaration.
Residents and tourists alike struggled to cope with the oppressive heat, with many seeking shade and water to stay cool. Forecasters predicted continued above-normal temperatures and scarce rainfall, particularly affecting central and northern areas.
According to Greenpeace, the ongoing heatwave underscores the broader climate challenges facing Argentina, as global warming trends exacerbate weather extremes.
Argentina, a major world supplier of soy, corn and wheat, has seen its main agricultural region face a prolonged dry spell since the onset of the Southern Hemisphere’s summer last month.
Spokeswoman for the Argentine Weather Service, Cindy Fernandez, saying: "This week in Argentina we are experiencing a situation of extreme temperatures, and due to the persistence of these extreme temperatures, it is also possible that a heat wave is declared, especially in the center and north of our country. This heat wave situation is determined when the persistence of extreme temperatures lasts for more than three consecutive days. This is not only with the maximum temperatures, but the minimum high temperatures are required criteria for the heat wave to be declared.”
Forecasting highs of 36 degrees Celsius and up to 40 C in some parts of the country.
While predicting some 25 to 40 millimeters of rainfall across some parts of the key agricultural heartlands, he said the rainfall would not be even and would come too late to avert damage to crop yields.
The country’s Rosario grains exchange currently expects it will produce some 53 million to 53.5 million metric tons of soy and 50 million to 53 million tons of corn this season. Argentina is the world’s top exporter of soybean oil and meal and the third-largest supplier of corn.