Intense rain and hail battered several districts of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) early Friday, July 17, 2026, as Argentina experienced unusually wet conditions associated with El Niño. The Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN), Argentina’s national weather agency, forecast storms across the southern and western suburbs. A July 17 listing from Noticias Ambientales described “severe storms accompanied by hail.” Buenos Aires city itself narrowly avoided the worst of the morning’s weather, while surrounding municipalities faced impressive disruption.
Residents in Almirante Brown, Avellaneda, Berazategui, Brandsen, Cañuelas, Ensenada, Esteban Echeverría, Ezeiza, Florencio Varela, Ituzaingó, La Matanza, La Plata, Lanús, Lomas de Zamora, Marcos Paz, Merlo, Morón, Presidente Perón, Quilmes and San Vicente reported hail and flooding. Videos of the storm and the weather front moving across the region quickly spread on social media. Earlier in the day, severe thunderstorms also hit northern Buenos Aires province, including Exaltación de la Cruz, San Miguel del Monte, General Las Heras, General Rodríguez, Lobos, Luján, Marcos Paz, Mercedes, San Andrés de Giles and San Antonio de Areco.
The SMN forecast a 70% to 100% chance of rain in Buenos Aires city during the morning, with possible thunderstorms and northerly gusts of up to 50 km/h. Temperatures were around 18°C and expected to rise slightly in the afternoon as showers continued. By nightfall, skies were expected to stay cloudy, with temperatures near 19°C. The Buenos Aires City government urged residents to take precautions against hail and strong winds. Under the SMN’s alert system, yellow alerts signal potentially disruptive weather, while higher levels cover storms expected to have more severe impacts.
Authorities advised people to stay indoors during storms, avoid electrical appliances and landline phones, and refrain from bathing or washing clothes while lightning is present. Anyone caught outside was advised to seek shelter in a vehicle if possible, and to keep away from trees and metal structures. With no shelter available, they should crouch low, heads down and ears covered. The SMN also noted ongoing heatwaves in northern Argentina and wildfire risks in Córdoba. Heavy snowfall continues in the Andes, where snow accumulation has exceeded two meters in some areas.
For Sunday, when Argentina faces Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, the SMN does not expect rain in Buenos Aires. Cloudy skies and cooler temperatures, between 10°C and 15°C, are forecast through Thursday. El Niño can shift atmospheric circulation over South America, bringing wetter conditions to parts of the Southern Cone. Warm, humid air and storm systems can also contribute to periods of unstable weather. The pattern coincides with extreme weather across Argentina, from storms and heat to snowfall.
Recent weather extremes in Argentina reflect wider climate disruptions across Latin America. Earlier this year, a major earthquake off the coast of Mexico and Guatemala prompted tsunami warnings and highlighted the region’s vulnerability to natural hazards. In Argentina, storms, heatwaves and snow are testing local infrastructure and emergency response systems as weather patterns remain unpredictable.
El Niño is a recurring climate phenomenon marked by warming surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. Its effects vary by region. In South America, it is often associated with heavier rainfall in the Southern Cone and drought in northern areas. For residents and authorities in Buenos Aires and beyond, the latest storms point to the need for preparedness and adaptation as climate risks shift.
