The pampero and cold fronts in Uruguay

Weather in Uruguay changes with passing cold fronts, which arrive from the southwest several times a month, especially in autumn and winter.

The pampero

Behind the front comes the pampero: a cold, dry southwesterly wind that clears the sky, drops the temperature sharply and cleans the air. After humid, heavy days, the pampero brings abrupt but windy relief.

The typical sequence

• Before the front: heat, humidity and a northerly wind.
• During: storms, rain and a shift in wind direction.
• After: the pampero, falling temperatures and clear skies.

What to expect

If the forecast calls for a front, be ready for a sharp change within hours: what starts as a hot day can end several degrees colder and windy.