Santa Catarina braces for intensified El Niño‑driven storms

NOAA raised the chance of a very strong El Niño to 81 % for the Southern Hemisphere spring‑summer, noting that sea‑surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific rose from +0.7 °C in June to +1.2 °C in July. The State Civil Defence Secretariat (SDC/SC) has stepped up monitoring and issued a series of alerts for severe thunderstorms, hail, strong winds (up to 75 km/h) and flash‑flood risk across Santa Catarina. Forecasts predict up to 100 mm of rain in the western part of the state this weekend, with reported totals of 70‑73 mm in towns such as Ibirama, Apiúna and Blumenau, and river levels rising more than 4 m in the Itajaí‑Açu basin. Alerts have interiorized to southern municipalities including Lages, Urupema and Bocaina do Sul, urging residents to avoid flooded roads, stay away from windows, and watch official bulletins. The same front is expected to affect neighboring Rio Grande do Sul, where the Defence Civil warns of possible accumulations of 150‑200 mm over three days early next week. Authorities continue to coordinate with Epagri/Ciram and the regional climate forum to update warnings and support preventive measures.