Villa Mercedes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Villa Mercedes
|
|
|---|---|
Plaza principal de Villa Mercedes
|
|
 Villa Mercedes
Location in Argentina
|
|
| Country |  Argentina |
| Province |  San Luis |
| Department | General Pedernera |
| Population | |
| • Total | 111,391 |
| Time zone | UTC-3 (ART) |
| CPA base |
D5730
|
| Dialing code | +54 2657 |
Villa Mercedes is a city in the province of San Luis, Argentina. It's located in the central-east part of the province. The city sits on the banks of the Quinto River. It is about 32 kilometers from the border with Córdoba. Important roads like National Route 148, National Route 8, and National Route 7 pass through or near it. National Route 7 connects Villa Mercedes to San Luis, the capital city, which is 90 kilometers away. In 2010, about 111,391 people lived in Villa Mercedes.
Discovering Villa Mercedes: A City's Journey
How Villa Mercedes Began
The city was started by Governor Justo Daract around December 1, 1856. It was first called Fortín Constitucional. This was a special kind of fort for both civilians and soldiers. Its main job was to protect the area from attacks by the Ranquel aboriginal tribes.
In 1861, the people living there decided to change the name. They chose Villa Mercedes. This new name honored the Virgin of Mercy (Virgen de las Mercedes), who they saw as their special protector.
Growth with the Railway
Villa Mercedes grew very quickly after a railway line arrived in 1875. This line came from Villa María. It was part of the Central Argentine Railway that connected Rosario and Córdoba.
The State-owned company Ferrocarril Andino built this railway. By 1885, the line was extended even further. It reached San Juan, passing through San Luis and Mendoza. The part of the line from Villa Mercedes to Mendoza became a key section. It was part of the main route from Buenos Aires. Later, the Argentine Great Western Railway bought this section in 1887. It then became part of the larger Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway network.
Villa Mercedes Today
In 1896, Villa Mercedes was officially named a city. Today, it is the second-largest city in San Luis province. It is also an important place for industries and education. The city is home to a branch of the National University of San Luis.
Exploring the Climate of Villa Mercedes
Understanding the Weather Patterns
Villa Mercedes has a special kind of weather called a dry winter humid subtropical climate. This is typical for the middle of Argentina. Summers are warm or hot, and they often have thunderstorms. Winters are dry and can get very cold with heavy frosts.
Snow and Temperatures
Snowfall is not very common, but it happens more often here than in eastern Argentina. Sometimes, the snow can even stay on the ground for a few days. For example, during the July 2007 Argentine winter storm, the temperature dropped to -16.8 °C. This was the coldest temperature ever recorded for the city.
| Climate data for Villa Mercedes INTA (1981–2010, extremes 1968–2013) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 41.2 (106.2) |
41.7 (107.1) |
37.7 (99.9) |
35.4 (95.7) |
33.0 (91.4) |
30.8 (87.4) |
33.9 (93.0) |
37.1 (98.8) |
38.0 (100.4) |
42.1 (107.8) |
39.6 (103.3) |
42.7 (108.9) |
42.7 (108.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.9 (85.8) |
29.1 (84.4) |
27.0 (80.6) |
23.4 (74.1) |
20.0 (68.0) |
17.0 (62.6) |
16.5 (61.7) |
19.0 (66.2) |
21.2 (70.2) |
24.4 (75.9) |
27.0 (80.6) |
29.2 (84.6) |
23.7 (74.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 22.5 (72.5) |
21.4 (70.5) |
19.4 (66.9) |
15.2 (59.4) |
11.4 (52.5) |
8.1 (46.6) |
7.3 (45.1) |
9.5 (49.1) |
12.3 (54.1) |
16.4 (61.5) |
19.3 (66.7) |
21.8 (71.2) |
15.4 (59.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14.9 (58.8) |
13.9 (57.0) |
12.3 (54.1) |
7.8 (46.0) |
3.7 (38.7) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
0.8 (33.4) |
3.7 (38.7) |
8.2 (46.8) |
11.2 (52.2) |
14.0 (57.2) |
7.5 (45.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 2.9 (37.2) |
1.2 (34.2) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−10.5 (13.1) |
−12.5 (9.5) |
−16.8 (1.8) |
−14.8 (5.4) |
−12.3 (9.9) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
0.1 (32.2) |
−16.8 (1.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 120.2 (4.73) |
90.4 (3.56) |
86.0 (3.39) |
54.4 (2.14) |
26.4 (1.04) |
6.7 (0.26) |
16.3 (0.64) |
13.4 (0.53) |
32.2 (1.27) |
49.5 (1.95) |
76.6 (3.02) |
117.0 (4.61) |
689.1 (27.13) |
| Average snowy days | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 65.6 | 69.8 | 74.0 | 73.0 | 74.7 | 73.0 | 68.8 | 61.2 | 58.7 | 60.8 | 59.4 | 63.0 | 66.8 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 293.0 | 255.4 | 226.9 | 191.4 | 167.6 | 159.0 | 188.1 | 206.1 | 226.8 | 247.5 | 281.1 | 307.4 | 2,750.3 |
| Source 1: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Atlas Bioclimático de Argentina UNLP (snowfall data) | |||||||||||||
Getting Around: Transportation in Villa Mercedes
The city is served by Villa Reynolds Airport. This airport helps people travel to and from Villa Mercedes.
