The heat persists in the southeastern region of Brazil during Christmas Eve, this Wednesday. Thermometers indicate 37°C in Rio de Janeiro, in addition to 35°C in São Paulo and 32°C in Belo Horizonte (MG). However, the rain persists in the south of the country. According to alerts issued by the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet), precipitation of up to 50 mm/day, accompanied by intense winds, is expected in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina.
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— There is persistence of rain and cloudiness in the southern region of the country, variable in some parts of the States. This instability is expected to persist until Sunday, due to an atmospheric blockage caused by the high-level cyclonic vortex — explains meteorologist Andrea Ramos.
Humidity and heat favor rain showers in the Northern Region. States like Amazonas and Acre will experience showers that could last until the end of the day, with accumulations of up to 100 mm/day. The maximum is 33°C for Manaus (AM) and 31°C for Rio Branco (AC).
Instability and heat also persist in the northeast and west-central regions of Brazil, due to an intertropical convergence zone that favors the formation of deep clouds. There is a possibility of storms in Mato Grosso do Sul and Maranhão. The thermometer indicates 34°C in Campo Grande (MS) and 30°C in São Luís (MA).
A large-scale cyclonic vortex will be responsible for the temperature increase in several Brazilian states at Christmas this year. The phenomenon, which rotates in the upper layers of the atmosphere, creates an atmospheric blockage, intensifying the action of a mass of hot and dry air.
— To understand the vortex, imagine a column. Below there is the warm air mass. Above, atmospheric blocking occurs. On Friday 26, however, the weather forecast could change and we have already noticed the possibility of rain for the states of the Southeast region — details Andrea.
According to the meteorologist, despite the influence of the phenomenon in relation to the increase in temperature, the current climatic situation in the country cannot be described as a new “heatwave”. For this, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) determines that there must be at least five days in which temperatures reach five degrees compared to climatology.
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The recommendation of the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) is that the population avoids facing bad weather, observes changes in slope and, if possible, turns off electrical appliances and the general energy supply. The Institute also leaves a series of instructions for residents of areas that could be most affected by the rains. Look:
- Turn off electrical appliances and the general power supply;
- Observe changes in slope;
- Stay in a sheltered area and, in case of gusty winds, do not take shelter under trees, due to the slight risk of falling and electric shock, and do not park vehicles near transmission towers and advertising signs;
- In case of flooding or similar, protect your belongings from water by packing them in plastic bags;
- Obtain more information from Civil Protection (telephone 199) and the firefighters (telephone 193).