A cold front reached southern Brazil from the 26th, Monday, causing rain. In its rear, a mass of cold air of polar origin advanced into the country.
Temperatures fell/dropped to below zero, with rare snowfall overnight in some places – as the polar air mass advanced toward the center-south. Ice and snow accumulated on the streets of cities where the wintry phenomenon was rarely seen.
Many cities in the mountains of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, the two southernmost states, registered either snow or freezing rain late Wednesday. The unusually extreme weather in the country’s south kept the thermometers between 0 and 5° C in the early hours of Wednesday and during Thursday. Some places still had below-freezing (sub-zero) temperatures.
The relative humidity, the gusts of wind, the frost, and, consequently, the wind chill factor made us feel the cold even more intense.
Cars, streets, and highways were blanketed in ice while people took the opportunity to take pictures and play in the snow, building/making snowmen.
Snow is uncommon in Brazil, even in its southern region during the Southern Hemisphere’s winter. Brazil’s last blizzard (a severe snowstorm) was in 1957 when 1.3 meters of snow was recorded in a city in Santa Catarina state.
So, what can we do about it? Here are some tips.
Note: It’s the first time I decide to raise the issue of “ice safety.” Well,I guess change is everywhere. ?
Don’t miss out on the previous lessons on the weather!