Polar air mass drives record low temperatures across São Paulo and Minas Gerais

A strong polar air mass swept over Brazil’s southeast on the night of 14 July 2026, producing unusually low temperatures and widespread frost. In São Paulo state, Campos do Jordão recorded a record low of 2.1 °C, while neighboring cities such as Itapira (3.2 °C) and São Luiz do Paraitinga (4.2 °C) also fell well below normal. The mass caused a historic –11 °C reading at the Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, the lowest temperature ever recorded at the park.

In Minas Gerais, the cold front triggered an alert for frost in 53 municipalities, with Maria da Fé measuring an official minimum of –1.1 °C and local readings near –3 °C. The freeze risk extended to parts of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Authorities in São Paulo activated the Abrigo Solidário shelter at the Pedro II metro station and deployed tents with food and blankets for people experiencing homelessness. Forecasts indicated continued chilly mornings with fog in São Paulo and dry, cooler conditions across the interior.

The event prompted public‑health advisories for vulnerable groups, warnings about carbon‑monoxide risks from improvised heating, and cautions for farmers about potential crop damage from the freeze.