Perito Moreno Glacier

perito moreno glacier

On our planet there are wonders of nature worth seeing. One of them is the Perito Moreno Glacier. It is a huge mass of ice that is located in the province of Santa Cruz and is integrated into the Los Glaciares National Park. Climate change is causing serious changes to this glacier and it is receding.

In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about the Perito Moreno Glacier, its characteristics, formation and importance.

Key features

peninsula of magallanes

The advance of this huge block of ice is representative of the Brazo Rico found in Lake Argentino. It can reach a height of about 30 meters higher than the rest of the lake, exerting tremendous pressure on the ice that is there.

You can see a tunnel with a vault of more than 50 meters where the water flows down until it reaches Lake Argentino. Due to the erosion caused by this place, the vault eventually collapses. This is one of the most wonderful shows that can be witnessed, which is why tourists have to pay huge sums of money to be able to pass even if they never have a date.

It is a natural process that has been repeated irregularly over the years. The last recorded breakup occurred in March 2016. In March 2018, there was a new break in the Perito Moreno Glacier, but it happened at dawn. Unfortunately, no photos or video records related to the incident could be obtained because the park was closed at that time and there were no witnesses or witnesses.

Just the day before the rupture, the glacier had lost two-thirds of its volume, indicating that that year (2018) this phenomenon occurred much faster than in previous years, but there is no evidence yet. This is due to global warming and climate change that have occurred for several years.

Some scientists who have studied the Perito Moreno Glacier for a long time are sure that this fact is just a coincidence and has nothing to do with what is happening in the environment, because glaciers have never been shown to be affected by climate change, and even when glaciers have moved and dwarfed.

Weather in the Perito Moreno Glacier

ice slides

The weather is dry and cold, and annual rainfall is only 300 mm. However, in the famous national park, it is located a little further west where the Perito Moreno Glacier is located, and the precipitation is very rich, around 1500 mm per year.

Compared to the Patagonian plateau to which it belongs, many of its own environments give it a milder microclimate. It is located on the shores of Lake Argentino, on a slope facing north and protected by progressive forests. The weather is dry and the temperature fluctuates between more than 20º C in summer and less than -3º C in winter.

The temperature varies greatly depending on the time of year, since in summer you can enjoy about 17 hours of light, while in winter daylight is much shorter, with only 8 hours.

Flora and fauna of the Perito Moreno Glacier

perito moreno glacier in patagonia

Approximately 260.000 hectares of this park are covered by ice, so there is no vegetation, and approximately 95.000 hectares are also covered by lakes. The entire wooded area of ​​the park is about 79.000 hectares, of which the cherry, ñire and lenga dominate.

The flora found in Los Glaciares National Park corresponds to the southernmost region of Magallanes. The notro is one of the most striking shrubs, it has beautiful red flowers. El Calafate with violet fruits and yellow flowers is quite remarkable, while in areas with higher air humidity, the famous devil's elderberry impresses.

Regarding the fauna, this park houses specific species in grasslands and subantarctic forests. Dominates the existence of the black eagle, vultures, guanacos, choiques and pumas. Not much information is known about the vertebrate species that inhabit this entire park. Most such information is obtained from birds.

Rupture and detachment

The breaking of this glacier is one of the most impressive spectacles of nature. However, there is no periodic parameter to be able to know when it is the moment of the break. Many tourists pay large amounts of money to be able to see the break, although they do not know exactly when it will be.

These glaciers can be visited at any time of the year. Depending on the time of year you visit, you will discover it in different, unique and outstanding ways. However, It should be noted that the climate on the glacier is cold and dry most of the time.

It is important to take into account the temperature, because in the winter months from June to August people are not used to it being so cold, in addition to the fact that the days are usually short and not all outdoor recreational activities are possible. The average temperature is -2º C. In winter, you can enjoy the snow-covered panorama, and you can also have fun and play in the snow. During the summer between December and March, the temperature changes abruptly to about 15ºC.

Much of the 49 glaciers that make up southern Patagonia they have started to regress in the last 50 years. This is caused by climate change and is the total responsibility of humanity, because it is the people who cause environmental problems and cause global warming. The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the few glaciers that does not melt under the conditions of global warming and environmental changes. Nor does it grow 3 meters per day according to local beliefs. This glacier is undergoing a cycle of accumulation and fusion that maintains a perfect balance during the process.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Perito Moreno Glacier, its characteristics and the possible impact of climate change.


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