Cold front brings frost risk and rain to southern Brazil

A cold front advancing over Brazil's southern states—Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina—from 15 June to 19 June is expected to push temperatures down to near or below 0 °C, creating a high risk of frost for pastures and winter crops in the Serra Gaúcha, Serra Catarinense and nearby lowlands. The same system will bring 20‑30 mm of rain to the three southern states on Friday, which could help soil moisture but also delay field work.

Along the southeastern coast, the front will generate 30‑40 mm of rain in coastal São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo and parts of Minas Gerais, important for replenishing soil moisture but likely to postpone coffee‑harvest activities already underway. In the Central‑West, conditions will remain dry and windy, keeping fire risk high despite modest isolated showers of up to 30 mm near the Paraguayan border.

The forecast, issued by Brazil’s Seapi in partnership with Emater/RS‑Ascar and the Instituto Rio Grandense do Arroz, also notes possible gusty winds along the southern coast and highlights the need for protective measures to avoid significant agricultural losses.