An area of the Andes mountains in northwestern Venezuela has been blanketed in snow in a hugely unusual event for this time of year. Locals have been left shocked by the May whiteout.
Residents of Merida, a colonial-era city in the Pico El Aguila mountain, are celebrating the heavy snowfall by sharing pictures on Twitter. Due to its high altitude, the area sustains its most frequent snowfalls during the months of July and August.
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The mountain’s peak is situated more than 4,000 meters (13,000ft) above sea level where the average temperature is five degrees Celsius (41F). There are also low levels of oxygen in the atmosphere, making it a relatively inhospitable place, compared to the country’s capital Caracas which boasts temperatures of up to 23 degrees Celsius (73F).
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The weather inspired adventurers to go the extra mile in search of eye-catching content for their social media profiles. One keen climber journeyed to a frozen waterfall in Pico Humboldt, the second highest peak in Venezuela, to grab this jaw-dropping snap.
Así es la Naturaleza en nuestra Venezuela.
Ayer 08-05-18 / Cascada Congelada en el Pico Humboldt. Sierra Nevada de Mérida (Año 2018) (Foto de: Luifer Mendoza) pic.twitter.com/RHxsTKLjRx— Victor Madero (@victormaderoo) May 9, 2018
The state of Merida, in western Venezuela, is part of the Cordillera de los Andes, the longest mountain chain in the world.
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