The Storms That Broke the Atacama's Silence A series of winter storms in August 2026 brought an unprecedented covering of snow to parts of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile.
This hyperarid region is no stranger to extreme weather, but the sheer scale and intensity of these storms set them apart from previous events.
A Region Caught Off Guard The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), one of the world's most powerful radio telescopes, was forced to suspend operations and protect its antennas when heavy snow and strong winds swept through the area.