Santa Catarina is preparing for an atypical summer marked by high temperatures, according to a warning from Epagri/Ciram. The forecast for the quarter from December to February indicates that the 2023/24 summer promises to be hot in the state, with the significant influence of the El Niño phenomenon.
According to meteorologist Gilsânia Cruz, from Epagri/Ciram, the expectation is that hot air masses will act with greater frequency and duration over Santa Catarina, especially in the months of January and February. This will result in consecutive days of high temperatures, including at night. Heat waves are also predicted, promising an intense summer.
The rain forecast for the quarter varies from close to above the climatological average. In December, rain showers will be irregular, associated with the typical summer convection process, but still frequent and with high totals. In January and February, rainfall totals should decrease, approaching the historical average, as highlighted by meteorologist Marilene de Lima, from Epagri/Ciram.
A highlight in the coming months will be the strong performance of the El Niño phenomenon, reaching its maximum peak this summer. This condition increases the risk of extreme events, including intense rain, high totals in short periods of time, thunderstorms with lightning, hail and wind.
El Niño is expected to persist throughout the 2023/24 summer and extend until the autumn of 2024. Recent data indicate that, in October and November 2023, the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) remained high in the entire Equatorial Pacific, with positive anomalies varying between 2.0°C and 3.5°C in November.
Source: Aline Merladete | agrolink
