A polar air mass is bringing intense cold and frost to Brazil's Southeast, South, and Central-West regions this Thursday, May 18, 2024 [1, 2].
This weather event is significant because it creates hazardous conditions for residents and agriculture in the Centro-Sul region. The sudden drop in temperature can lead to widespread frost, which threatens crop yields and impacts public health in areas not equipped for extreme cold.
The cold front is most severe in the state of Santa Catarina. In the Serra Catarinense, temperatures are expected to drop to almost -7°C [1]. This reading represents the lowest temperature recorded in Brazil for the year [1].
Meteorologists said the freeze is due to a polar air mass moving southward across the continent [1, 2]. The system is affecting five states across the Centro-Sul region, bringing a combination of low temperatures and heavy rains [2].
Residents in the affected regions are facing a sharp shift in weather patterns as the system moves through. The intensity of the cold in the highlands of Santa Catarina is particularly notable, resulting in the new record low for the current calendar year [1].
Local authorities and weather services said they continue to monitor the movement of the polar mass as it interacts with the geography of the South and Southeast [1, 2].
“Temperatures in the Serra Catarinense are expected to drop to almost -7°C.”
The arrival of a polar air mass in the Centro-Sul region demonstrates the volatility of winter weather patterns in Brazil. When temperatures hit record lows like -7°C in the Serra Catarinense, it creates immediate economic risks for the agricultural sector due to frost damage and increases the demand for energy and heating infrastructure in regions where such extremes are less common.
