South Faces Intensifying Storms as Red-Level Heatwave Burns Eight States

Overview

• Meteorological models forecast a nascent extratropical cyclone to form between Uruguay and southern Rio Grande do Sul overnight into Tuesday, and forecasters warn it will intensify storms in the South with hail and gusts around 90–100 km/h.
• Local emergency agencies reported widespread damage by Monday with Rio Grande do Sul listing 12,881 people affected, 4 injured and about 2,727 homes damaged while Paraná’s Defesa Civil estimated roughly 2,700 people affected and about 900 houses damaged after hailstorms.
• INMET has issued a red-level heatwave alert for eight states, with temperatures estimated up to about 40–43°C in parts of Mato Grosso do Sul and sustained readings roughly 5°C above normal that raise acute health risks.
• Forecasts project heavy rainfall totals in parts of the South that could exceed 100–270 millimeters in isolated areas through the coming days and the advancing front will push northward, bringing a cooling trend to the Southeast by late week.
• Authorities urge precautions — avoid trees and unsecured outdoor objects, disconnect nonessential electrical equipment, and call Defesa Civil (199) or Corpo de Bombeiros (193) for emergencies — as risks include flash flooding, fallen trees, power outages and crop damage.