Brazil's South Endures Sub‑Zero Temperatures Amid Polar Cold Front

A strong polar air mass has moved across Brazil, bringing sub‑zero temperatures and frost to the southern states and parts of the Central‑West. In Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná, minima are expected between –2 °C and –9 °C in valleys, with several municipalities recording temperatures below 0 °C. The cold front also affects Mato Grosso do Sul, where the mass extends from Corumbá to Naviraí, producing heavy rain and isolated frosts as low as 0.9 °C in Amambai.

Agricultural sectors warn of delayed corn‑second‑crop (safrinha) harvests and increased drying costs, while the livestock industry faces heightened risk of hypothermia in poultry and swine. State agencies have issued technical notes advising farmers on animal protection and reporting losses. Forecasts show the cold persisting for 48 hours before temperatures gradually rise, reaching above 30 °C by the weekend in some areas.

Urban areas such as the Greater Porto Alegre region will see early‑morning frost with daytime highs around 17‑18 °C, and São Paulo will experience cooler afternoons around 9‑13 °C. The weather service expects a return to milder conditions by early next week.