Rio Rolls Out Record-Scale New Year’s Eve as Rough-Sea Alert Triggers Safety Warnings

Overview

• The Brazilian Navy’s rough-sea alert covers the Rio coast from noon Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday with waves up to 2.5 meters, and officials advise people to stay out of the water, especially at night.
• Meteorological services forecast a chance of isolated showers on the evening of Dec. 31, with high temperatures during the day and similar conditions into early January.
• Copacabana’s program features three stages with headline sets by Gilberto Gil with Ney Matogrosso, Belo and Alcione, João Gomes with Iza, and Alok, plus a 1,200‑drone show and a 12‑minute fireworks display launched from 19 barges.
• Security plans include 3,500 military police, 300 vehicles with onboard cameras feeding the city’s command center, and 16 controlled access points with metal detectors and facial recognition cameras.
• Transport is restricted after 9 p.m., with return buses concentrated at the Enseada de Botafogo terminal and MetrôRio requiring a prepaid Réveillon pass and post‑midnight wristband; other cities such as Santos and Vitória also mount large shows with their own traffic curbs and extra transit.