Last week, an extratropical cyclone struck much of central and southern Brazil, causing low temperatures and strong storms. The southern region was most affected by the consequences of this phenomenon, including the hurricane that destroyed some cities in Paraná and Santa Catarina. Now, a large part of Brazil’s population is looking forward to knowing when and where the next hurricane will strike.
to CapitalsMeteorologists explain that it is possible to know the passage of a hurricane just days before it reaches a certain area, ruling out exactly how many hurricanes could still be recorded in Brazil this year.
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In Matau, inside São Paulo, a tree fell in the street and blocked the driveway
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Civil defense teams are working to remove the tree in Jamberu
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Vinhedo, located inside São Paulo, was one of the cities that recorded tree falls
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The tornado destroyed homes, toppled trees, and flooded streets in South Carolina. The tornado destroyed homes, toppled trees, and flooded streets in South Carolina.
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The tornado destroyed homes, downed trees, and flooded streets in South Carolina
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The tornado destroyed homes, downed trees, and flooded streets in South Carolina
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The tornado destroyed homes, downed trees, and flooded streets in South Carolina
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SC Civil Defense posted photos of the damage
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A phenomenon that struck the region on Friday (11/7)
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However, meteorologist Wanderson Luiz Silva, a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), believes other hurricane episodes are possible in Brazil this year. He explains that every extratropical cyclone is associated with a cold front, and even in November, more frontal systems are expected to pass through the country until the end of the month. “It is necessary to conduct daily monitoring to predict where these hurricanes will move, whether closer to the coast of Brazil or further away,” Silva highlights.
According to the National Institute of Meteorology (INMEET), a hurricane is a wide area of low atmospheric pressure, which can extend for hundreds or even thousands of kilometres. In the Southern Hemisphere, winds rotate clockwise toward the center of lowest pressure.
This movement concentrates hot, humid air, which rises, cools and forms dense clouds, bringing heavy rain and strong winds over a large area. A hurricane sets weather conditions over an entire area for several days.
A meteorologist at the National Center for Natural Disaster Monitoring and Warning (Simaden), Antonio Marengo, explains that one hurricane has already occurred and another is “entering.” He confirms that correct prediction is possible a few days before the phenomenon appears. “Getting an accurate estimate of how many tropical cyclones will impact in one month is difficult,” he said.
Marengo explains that extratropical cyclones are common in the South Atlantic. “The problem occurs when one of them intensifies and comes very close to the continent. This can generate strong winds, storms, rain, hailstorms, and even sometimes small eddies are released from the cyclone, which is a center of low pressure and can lead to hurricanes,” the expert comments.
Three types of hurricanes. Understands
- Extratropical: They are most common in Brazil, form in mid-latitudes, between 30° and 60°, and are associated with cold fronts and have a cold core.
- tropical: The most intense and destructive, known as hurricanes or cyclones in other regions, form over warm oceans near the equator and have a hot core.
- Subtropical regions: A hybrid of the two previous species, common on the coast of southeastern Brazil.
More severe hurricanes
Meteorologist Marcello Cellucci, of Simaden, points out that many scientific articles have concluded that hurricanes are generally more intense. The explanation for this fact is physical and directly related to climate change.
More intense hurricanes need higher moisture content. Cellucci explains that this moisture is guaranteed at the highest ocean and atmospheric temperatures.
“You have an additional source, which is warmer oceans and an atmosphere that can store this moisture. So, that’s the recipe. It’s one of the factors, not that with this alone I’m going to have more intense hurricanes, but it’s one of the requirements for having more intense hurricanes,” he comments.
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