Overview
- On June 26, the ALMA observatory at 2,900 meters in Chile’s Atacama Desert recorded snowfall for the first time in ten years.
- Nearby Chajnantor Plateau above 5,000 meters frequently receives snow, but the main ALMA facility had not seen any precipitation until this week.
- University of Santiago climatologist Raúl Cordero said it is too soon to attribute the snowfall to climate change, though climate modeling indicates such events could become more common.
- The Atacama Desert’s exceptionally dry conditions and dark skies make it a premier location for telescopes, including the powerful ALMA radio array.
- Scientists plan to study the snowfall’s effects on both astronomical observations and regional weather patterns to improve climate projections.