Snow in the Shadow of the Andes

Large areas of snow cover the arid plains of southern Argentina. Several large lakes containing water in shades of milky blue are visible, while the Andes are veiled by clouds along the left side.

Snow covers large areas of southern Argentina’s high plains in this image acquired on April 3, 2026, by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite.

NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison

On the eastern, arid side of the Andes, the plains of southern Argentina stretch from the mountains to the Atlantic coast. The landscape often appears dry and brown, interrupted by colorful glacier-fed lakes, but a storm in early April 2026 blanketed swaths of the land in white. The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this image of the snowy Patagonian Desert on the morning of April 3.

Early fall has been wetter than normal in southern Patagonia, said atmospheric scientist René Garreaud of the Universidad de Chile, noting that satellite-based estimates showed above-average precipitation from late March through early April. Much of the region’s precipitation tends to fall on the western, windward side of the Andes, he said. “But strong winds are capable of blowing some snow east into the Argentinian side, as beautifully reflected in the MODIS image.”

The outlet of bright blue Lago Argentino meanders across an otherwise dry, brown valley from left to right. The bottom third of the image is white, where snow covers higher elevations.

Snow lines a valley at the outlet of Lago Argentino in this image acquired on April 3, 2026, by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 9.

NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison

Snow clings to the higher elevations, while valleys draining the large glacial lakes are bare. In this detailed Landsat image, a stark snow line appears along the outlet of Lago Argentino. Also note the color of the water. Lago Argentino and other nearby lakes contain an abundance of fine sediment, or glacial flour, pulverized by southern Patagonia’s plentiful glaciers. This suspended sediment makes the lakes appear milky blue or turquoise.

Though snow was widespread across the desert after the early-season storm, the wintry splendor was fleeting. A satellite view from the afternoon of April 4 showed that snow had melted from all but the highest mountain areas.

NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview, and Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Lindsey Doermann.

Downloads

Terra: April 3, 2026

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Landsat 9: April 3, 2026

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References & Resources

AntarcticGlaciers.org (2026, March 19) Southern Annual Mode: Southern Westerly Winds in Patagonia. Accessed April 8, 2026.
NASA Earth Observatory (2019, June 11) Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina. Accessed April 8, 2026.
NASA Earth Observatory (2019, May 20) How Glaciers Turn Lakes Turquoise. Accessed April 8, 2026.
NASA Earth Observatory (2011, March 11) Glacial Lakes of Patagonia. Accessed April 8, 2026.