Southern Brazil braces for polar air front bringing freezing temperatures

A polar air mass is set to move southward across Brazil in the second half of June, bringing a sharp drop in temperatures in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. Meteorologists forecast a series of cold nights with minima near or below zero, frost formation and isolated snow or freezing rain in higher‑altitude areas. The cold surge is linked to an Atlantic extratropical cyclone that will intensify the airflow.

The forecast calls for daytime temperatures to stay mild while nighttime lows may reach -5 °C in parts of the Serra do Sudeste and the western interior of Rio Grande do Sul. Authorities have warned residents to take precautions for health, livestock and sensitive agricultural activities. Although the event is not expected to be as severe as the May polar outbreak that reached the Amazon north, it will deliver typical winter conditions for the region.