03:58An unusual scene unfolded near Cabo Auricosta, South of the Rio Grande in Tierra del Fuego in the Patagonia region, where the sea froze, creating a stunning landscape that quickly went viral.
"It is the first time I have seen a phenomenon like this. For us, it is a nice experience being able to see this," shared Lorena Ladux, a biologist. "It draws a lot of attention because it is not normal, or let's say, it is not usual for these things in nature to be seen".
Drone footage filmed on Saturday shows a rare phenomenon in the region, where the frozen sea stretches across the icy landscape of Tierra del Fuego, transforming waves into impressive ice formations.
"The waves have a rhythm every now and then. 3, or 4 waves come in a row, then after a while, and during that time the tide goes out, another 3, or 4 waves come and another mountain begins to form," said Tabare Barreto, a local. "It accumulates over six hours- that is how long it takes for the tide to go out resulting in that landscape".
Scientifically, the air temperature had to drop well below the freezing point of seawater, along with other conditions such as calm winds and low salinity, for this phenomenon to occur.
"It is a combination of climate change and also a bit of human actions that is generating this change in the environment and nature," Ladux added.
"We know the sea does not freeze that easily. Saltwater freezes at a temperature lower than 0°, so we see everything differently," explained Tabare Barreto, a local.
Although such phenomena are rare in Patagonia, a similar event occurred in 2020 during a polar wave, when temperatures dropped to -13.8°C with a wind chill of -20°C, causing the sea, pipes and cars to freeze.
Picture perfect! Frozen sea creates stunning landscape in Tierra del Fuego
An unusual scene unfolded near Cabo Auricosta, South of the Rio Grande in Tierra del Fuego in the Patagonia region, where the sea froze, creating a stunning landscape that quickly went viral.
"It is the first time I have seen a phenomenon like this. For us, it is a nice experience being able to see this," shared Lorena Ladux, a biologist. "It draws a lot of attention because it is not normal, or let's say, it is not usual for these things in nature to be seen".
Drone footage filmed on Saturday shows a rare phenomenon in the region, where the frozen sea stretches across the icy landscape of Tierra del Fuego, transforming waves into impressive ice formations.
"The waves have a rhythm every now and then. 3, or 4 waves come in a row, then after a while, and during that time the tide goes out, another 3, or 4 waves come and another mountain begins to form," said Tabare Barreto, a local. "It accumulates over six hours- that is how long it takes for the tide to go out resulting in that landscape".
Scientifically, the air temperature had to drop well below the freezing point of seawater, along with other conditions such as calm winds and low salinity, for this phenomenon to occur.
"It is a combination of climate change and also a bit of human actions that is generating this change in the environment and nature," Ladux added.
"We know the sea does not freeze that easily. Saltwater freezes at a temperature lower than 0°, so we see everything differently," explained Tabare Barreto, a local.
Although such phenomena are rare in Patagonia, a similar event occurred in 2020 during a polar wave, when temperatures dropped to -13.8°C with a wind chill of -20°C, causing the sea, pipes and cars to freeze.
An unusual scene unfolded near Cabo Auricosta, South of the Rio Grande in Tierra del Fuego in the Patagonia region, where the sea froze, creating a stunning landscape that quickly went viral.
"It is the first time I have seen a phenomenon like this. For us, it is a nice experience being able to see this," shared Lorena Ladux, a biologist. "It draws a lot of attention because it is not normal, or let's say, it is not usual for these things in nature to be seen".
Drone footage filmed on Saturday shows a rare phenomenon in the region, where the frozen sea stretches across the icy landscape of Tierra del Fuego, transforming waves into impressive ice formations.
"The waves have a rhythm every now and then. 3, or 4 waves come in a row, then after a while, and during that time the tide goes out, another 3, or 4 waves come and another mountain begins to form," said Tabare Barreto, a local. "It accumulates over six hours- that is how long it takes for the tide to go out resulting in that landscape".
Scientifically, the air temperature had to drop well below the freezing point of seawater, along with other conditions such as calm winds and low salinity, for this phenomenon to occur.
"It is a combination of climate change and also a bit of human actions that is generating this change in the environment and nature," Ladux added.
"We know the sea does not freeze that easily. Saltwater freezes at a temperature lower than 0°, so we see everything differently," explained Tabare Barreto, a local.
Although such phenomena are rare in Patagonia, a similar event occurred in 2020 during a polar wave, when temperatures dropped to -13.8°C with a wind chill of -20°C, causing the sea, pipes and cars to freeze.