Brazil Issues Multi-Region Storm Alerts as Heavy Rains Trigger Local Emergencies

Overview

• National meteorological agencies kept warnings in force for the Amazon and South, citing 50–100 mm of rain per day, gusts up to 60–100 km/h, and isolated hail.
• A separate Inmet alert covered 313 municipalities in Paraná for storms with up to 50 mm/day, strong winds near 60 km/h, and possible hail, alongside state civil-defense guidance.
• São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro recorded urban flooding, fallen trees, and transport interruptions, with São Paulo under citywide flood attention and a BRT line briefly halted in Rio’s West Zone.
• Municipalities declared emergencies in Rio Claro (RJ), after about 107 mm fell in roughly one hour, and in Osvaldo Cruz (SP), after intense rain with about 1,297 lightning strikes and winds of 60.5 km/h.
• INPE reported roughly a 250% increase in lightning over São Paulo in early January compared with 2025, signaling an unusually active start to the season.