Inmet Issues Red Alert for First Spring Heat Wave in Brazil

Overview

• The National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) issued a red "great danger" warning that begins Saturday, Sept. 26, and runs through 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, covering parts of eight states in the Centre‑South.
• Forecasters say inland cities will see the highest heat with forecasts of about 41°C in Cuiabá, 40°C in Campo Grande, and around 32°C in São Paulo, and the alert uses Inmet’s criterion of at least five consecutive days with temperatures about 5°C above the climatological mean.
• Meteorologists attribute the event to a low‑pressure area near northern Argentina and western Paraguay that transports hot air northward together with a persistent upper‑level anticyclone or "heat dome," and they warn model updates over the next 48 to 72 hours could change the forecast area or peak values.
• The Ministry of Health warned of risks including dehydration, heatstroke and worsening of chronic heart and lung conditions and advised people to stay hydrated, avoid prolonged sun exposure and keep environments ventilated and cool.
• Separate, concurrent Inmet alerts cover storms in parts of the South with possible hail and gusts up to 60 km/h, and forecasters expect a frontal system after Sept. 30 that should bring cooler air and end the heat episode in affected areas.