Tourists and residents enjoyed the sun on the last day of the year and flocked to the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. In Copacabana, where the country’s most popular New Year’s Eve takes place, beachgoers were faced with a security situation early on.
Since 8am, Avenida Atlântica – which stretches along the seafront – has been closed to car traffic and anyone arriving on foot has to go through search barriers. Glass or sharp objects, bicycles, selfie sticks, dronesbetween others. None of this prevented the strip of sand on the beach, under a sunny sky, from becoming quite crowded.
However, according to the Weather Forecasting and Climate Studies Center (CPTEC), linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, cloud cover in the capital of Rio de Janeiro should gradually increase until dusk. Still, the probability of rain is low, just 3%.
In addition to the traditional fireworks display at midnight, Copacabana’s New Year’s Eve will feature performances by musicians such as Dudu Nobre, Marcelo D2, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethânia, Ivete Sangalo and Anitta.
There will also be shows in other locations in Rio de Janeiro. In total there are 13 stages spread across the city. THE City Hall’s expectations is to receive around 2.5 million people.
The National Institute of Meteorology of Brazil (Inmet), linked to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, also predicts cloudy skies for the turn of the year in Rio. The service also points to a tendency for the maximum temperature to rise.
The Rio de Janeiro City Hall Operations Center points out that the 30 degrees Celsius (ºC) mark must be exceeded in all of its five monitoring stations spread across the city.
People camp on Copacabana Beach on the last day of 2024 – Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
Brazil
While the probability of rain in the capital of Rio de Janeiro is considered low, Inmet issued rain warnings for most of the country. In all regions, storms may be recorded on the last day of 2024 and the first day of 2025.
With the exception of the coast of the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, heavy rains may be present throughout the Southeast. The alert also applies to almost the entire South, leaving out only portions of Rio Grande do Sul.
In the Central-West, storms may fall mainly in Mato Grosso and Goiás. In the North, heavy rains are forecast in all states, with the exception of Roraima and Amapá. In the Northeast, the alert only applies to the south and west of Bahia and parts of Maranhão and Piauí.
The Inmet warning highlights the possibility of intense winds and hail. Possible developments are also listed, such as the risk of electricity cuts, damage to plantations, falling trees and flooding.
