Flash Floods Batter São Paulo as Forecast Points to Weekend Cyclone Threat

Overview

• Back‑to‑back downpours put São Paulo under attention and localized alert levels, with the Defesa Civil issuing severe warnings for parts of the metro area.
• Power outages hit tens of thousands in the Grande São Paulo, peaking above 60,000 customers before easing to about 45,000 by evening, according to Enel.
• Short‑duration rainfall was extreme in spots, with 102 mm in Santana and 77 mm in Aricanduva on Wednesday and hourly totals near 70–80 mm in Ferraz de Vasconcelos and Poá on Thursday, alongside wind gusts near 80 km/h and thousands of lightning strikes.
• Firefighters rescued bus passengers stranded by floodwaters in the East Zone, sirens sounded in Ferraz de Vasconcelos, and authorities confirmed tree falls, localized desabamentos and multiple intransitable flood points without reported injuries.
• Meteorologists expect an extratropical cyclone to develop through the weekend, bringing very strong winds that could reach 80–100 km/h and heavy rain mainly to the South, with additional storm risk for São Paulo and parts of the Center‑West under Inmet alerts and safety guidance.