On Monday morning (18), the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) issued an orange (danger) level alert for a heat wave that is expected to hit Brazil by September 22.
The most affected locations should be:
- Mato Grosso do Sul,
- São Paulo,
- Mato Grosso,
- northern Paraná,
- west of Goiás,
- southwest of Tocantins
- and the Triângulo Mineiro region.
It is possible to see a complete list of municipalities included in the heat wave warning here.
In accordance with international protocols followed by Inmet, the meteorological warning is issued when temperatures, in this case the maximum, are at least 5°C above the historical average for the period.
The forecast is that temperatures will exceed 40°C in areas of the Central-West and North regions, and in the interior of São Paulo.
Along with the heat wave, low relative humidity levels are forecast for the area covered by the warning.
Warnings can be yellow (potential danger), orange (danger) or red (great danger) and the intensity is related to the number of consecutive days of the phenomenon.
The heatwave warning was issued at 11am on Monday and is expected to remain in place until 6pm on Friday (22).
However, Inmet points to a possible worsening of the situation from Saturday (23). Therefore, the warning will be reevaluated daily throughout the week.
What is a heat wave?
According to Inmet, a heat wave is promoted by predominantly dry weather conditions, with increased sunshine. The phenomenon is favored by atmospheric subsidence – when the atmospheric pressure between the middle levels and the surface increases, generating an increase in the temperature of the air mass.
This pattern of atmospheric subsidence, together with the flow of winds in the upper levels of the atmosphere, causes the heat wave to persist.
As MetSul meteorologist Estael Sias explained to CNN: “[O calor] creates the feedback mechanism, in which dry air heats the atmosphere more and the atmosphere ends up making the air drier. It forms a real heat dome. We have to imagine it as if it were a pan lid holding this heat on the surface and each day that passes keeping this air dry”.
Despite the prevalence of dry weather, localized intense rains may also occur within the heat wave.
See tips to alleviate the suffocating heat even without air conditioning.
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Source: CNN Brasil
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