Story perspectives

Rare Snowstorm Hits Atacama Desert, Signals Climate Change?

12/24/2025

Summary

Story summary

In July 2025, the Atacama Desert in Chile experienced a rare snowstorm covering much of the region.
The snowstorm temporarily halted operations at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observatory to prevent snow buildup.
Most of the snow had melted by July 16, 2025.
Similar snowfall occurred in 2011, 2013, and 2021, and recent extremes may indicate climate change is increasing their frequency, potentially altering the Atacama's hyper-arid status.

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Story summary

In July 2025, the Atacama Desert in Chile experienced a rare snowstorm covering much of the region.
The snowstorm temporarily halted operations at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observatory to prevent snow buildup.
Most of the snow had melted by July 16, 2025.
Similar snowfall occurred in 2011, 2013, and 2021, and recent extremes may indicate climate change is increasing their frequency, potentially altering the Atacama's hyper-arid status.