RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A new mass of cold air of polar origin is spreading over Brazil and will cause a temperature drop from north to south of the country in the coming days. However, anyone who is fond of the cold should not get excited just yet. This cold air mass will influence Brazil for only a few days. Nevertheless, some records may be broken in the Southern states, in some areas of the Southeast, in the Midwest and even in the Northern areas of Brazil.
As usual, Rio Grande do Sul was the first to feel the effects of this new cold air mass. The maximum temperatures on May 5th did not exceed 20°C in Rio Grande do Sul. In Porto Alegre, the afternoon of May 5th was the coldest of the year so far, with a maximum temperature of 19°C, as recorded by the National Institute of Meteorology.
Cold air path over Brazil
This cold air mass of polar origin will have a continental shift at the beginning of its period of action. The center of the cold air mass, which is the coldest region in the system, reached northern Argentina on May 5th. This Thursday, May 6th, the cold air center is slowly advancing towards Rio Grande do Sul and Uruguay increasing the cold in these regions. But in this position, the cold air also reaches Mato Grosso do Sul and also the border areas with Bolivia more easily. Therefore, the areas west of Mato Grosso do Sul, west of Mato Grosso, west of Rondônia and south of Acre will start to feel cold wind as early as this Thursday.
During Friday, May 7th, the center of the cold air will be passing over Rio Grande do Sul and Uruguay, which will ease the spread of cold air over Southern Brazil. But by Friday night, the center of the cold air will be over the ocean, off the coast of Uruguay and the province of Buenos Aires. During Saturday, May 8th, the center of this cold air mass of polar origin will be over the ocean, near the coasts of Rio Grande do Sul and Uruguay, and therefore its cold power over Brazil will be lower. During Sunday, May 9th, the center of the cold air will move out to sea, moving away from Brazil, allowing the cold to subside in the country.
Despite moving away from Brazil, after this cold air mass has passed, the dry air combined with cloudless nights will keep the dawns cold in many areas of the South, Southeast and part of the Midwest.
The cold wind from this polar air mass should reach the coast of Bahia during Friday and will intensify on the east coast of the Northeast during Mother’s Day weekend.
Southern Region
The drop in temperature in the South of the country began on May 5th over Rio Grande do Sul. During May 6th and 7th, Thursday and Friday, the temperature will drop further in all states.
For Thursday, May 6th, there are still conditions for rain in some areas north of Rio Grande do Sul, in Santa Catarina and in the south and east of Paraná. On Friday, May 7th, it should only rain in eastern Paraná.
On Mother’s Day weekend, the cold sensation will still be strong in the South of Brazil during the night and at dawn, but the general trend is for the temperature to rise. The sun will predominate. Warning for the risk of a hangover in the coming days.
Southeastern Region
The cold air of polar origin will begin to be felt in the state of São Paulo. The drop in temperature will begin to be felt in some areas in the west of the state during the course of this Thursday. However, on Friday the air will cool down in the whole state of São Paulo and the capital city may experience its coldest afternoon so far this year.
In Rio de Janeiro, Thursday will be very hot, but the temperature will drop during Friday, May 7th. Rain and cold wind will spread over the state of Rio de Janeiro causing an overall temperature drop.
During Thursday May 6th, the heat will still predominate over Brazil’s southeastern region, but the cold wind will start to be felt in areas of São Paulo state.
During Friday May 7th, cooling should be widespread in the state of São Paulo and also in Rio de Janeiro, the south of Minas Gerais and the Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais. Other areas of the Southeast region will remain warm.
During the weekend, May 8th and 9th, the cold wind will spread over the southeast region, bringing the temperature down in Espírito Santo and areas in the center-south and east of Minas Gerais.
However, the air will only cool down. There is no expectation of intense cold. But it is clear that in the south of Minas Gerais and in the higher mountainous areas, the sensation of cold will be greater.
Midwestern Region
The cold air of polar origin begins to be felt again in Mato Grosso do Sul and the central-western and southern areas of Mato Grosso during Thursday, May 6. The feeling will be a bit chilly especially in the afternoon and evening throughout the central-west and southern areas of Mato Grosso do Sul. The air will cool down a lot in the west and south of Mato Grosso, including the Cuiabá region. Despite the increased cloudiness in these areas, the chance of some rain is remote. Areas on the border of Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraguay may have some light rain or drizzle.
The remaining areas of the Midwest remain hot and dry during this Thursday.
On Friday, May 7, the cold wind of polar origin persists over Mato Grosso do Sul and spreads more over Mato Grosso and also Goiás. In most areas of these states there may be a slight drop in temperature, just to diminish the heat.
However, in Mato Grosso do Sul and the areas to the west and south of Mato Grosso, the feeling of cold increases during Friday. The cold wind may arrive very weak up to the region of Brasilia during Friday.
By the Mother’s Day weekend, the cold air will be leaving the Center-West of the country and the tendency is for rapid warming in all areas. However, the dawn and early morning will still have mild temperatures.
Northern Region
The new mass of cold air of polar origin that is advancing over Brazil will manage to bring cold air to Acre, Rondônia and the south of Amazonas. The cold wind will reach these regions in a mild way, but it will still manage to cause a drop in temperature
The cold wind will already begin to be felt in Rondônia and Acre during the course of this Thursday, May 6, reducing the heat in the afternoon in these states.
The cold air will act with more strength over Acre and Rondônia during Friday, May 7. The early morning of Saturday, May 8, will also have low temperatures, but in the afternoon it will get warmer with the rapid removal of the polar air.
Northeast Region
The cold front that is bringing this new mass of cold air of polar origin will pass along the southern coast of Bahia during Saturday, May 8. Rain conditions will increase in the south of Bahia that day.
The polar cold air does not actually spread over the interior of the Northeast, however, the cold winds of this polar mass will blow moderate to strong along the east coast of the Northeast starting Friday and especially during the Mother’s Day weekend. It is the intensification of the maritime wind that will also intensify the areas of instability on the east coast of the Northeast especially from next Sunday.
Frost
This time the conditions for frost will be restricted to the South of Brazil. The coldest dawn in the South Region of Brazil, within this cold air mass, should be on Friday, May 6th. The day will dawn freezing and with frost in Campanha gaucha and in the mountain areas of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. It may also frost in some places on the Southern Plateau of Santa Catarina.
With greater or lesser intensity, this new cold air mass of polar origin will cause some drop in temperature in all the states of the southeast region of Brazil. but the cooling will not be enough to cause frost in areas like the south of Minas Gerais or even in the state of São Paulo.
Despite the sharp drop in temperature expected for Mato Grosso do Sul, there is no expectation of frost in the state during the passage of this cold air mass of polar origin. The lowest temperatures in the state should stay around 10 degrees.
There are no conditions for intense cooling with the potential to cause frost in the North or Northeast.