An intense polar air mass is driving temperatures down across southern and southeastern Brazil starting Tuesday, July 5 [1, 2].
This weather shift creates a stark climatic divide across the country. While the south faces freezing conditions, interior states continue to battle severe drought and heat, highlighting the extreme regional volatility of the current season.
Forecasters expect the cold spell to last until Friday, July 10 [1]. In the mountain regions of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, minimum temperatures are projected to drop as low as -6°C [1]. The city of São Paulo is also expected to see a significant dip, with temperatures reaching around nine°C [1].
The system is linked to a larger oceanic instability system [1, 2]. In Paraná, authorities have issued alerts for heavy rain and wind gusts reaching up to 70 km/h [3]. Local reports from Bem Paraná said the region is on alert for wind and cold below 10°C [3].
Despite the freezing conditions in the south, other parts of the country remain under environmental stress. Interior states, including Tocantins and Bahia, are experiencing persistent heat [1, 2]. These regions have seen more than 68 days without significant rain [1].
Diário de Pernambuco said a significant change in the weather will hit the south of Brazil in the coming days, bringing a polar air mass that promises to drop temperatures considerably [2].
“Minimum temperatures are projected to drop as low as -6°C.”
The simultaneous occurrence of a severe polar surge in the south and a prolonged drought in the interior underscores a widening climatic disparity within Brazil. This volatility complicates national agricultural planning and puts pressure on public health infrastructure in the south to manage cold-related illnesses while the north manages water scarcity.
