Friday in the capital of São Paulo started off muggy with little cloud cover, dry fog and temperatures hovering around 18.2 degrees Celsius (°C) during the early hours of the morning. By the end of the morning the sky was clear, with sun, heat and a drop in relative humidity.
According to the automatic weather stations of the city’s Emergency Management Center (CGE), thermometers are recording an average of 30°C in the city. The maximum temperature can reach 34°C.
Relative humidity fluctuates around 28% with a tendency to decrease. The average can reach 20% during the day. As a result, the Municipal Civil Defense has declared a state of alert for high temperatures and low relative humidity throughout the city.
“It is also important to note that these weather conditions make it difficult for pollutants to disperse, in addition to favoring the formation and spread of fires, which harms air quality. The recommendation is to stay well hydrated, protect yourself from the sun, keep indoor environments humid by using vaporizers, wet towels and containers with water, and avoid physical exercise outdoors between 11 am and 5 pm,” says the CGE.
Saturday (14) will remain dry and sunny, with heat and low humidity levels. Temperatures will remain above average and should range from lows of 19°C to highs that could exceed 34°C. At the end of the day, the approach of the cold front will increase cloudiness and cause moderate gusts of wind, however, there is no forecast of rain.
On Sunday (15), the winds will start to blow from the south and southeast and transport humidity from the ocean to the metropolitan region of São Paulo, causing a lot of cloudiness and favoring the occurrence of drizzle and showers.
“These conditions should significantly alleviate the dry weather of recent days, increasing humidity levels, improving air quality and alleviating the heat. As such, temperatures should range between minimums of 18°C and maximums that should not exceed 22°C, with humidity levels remaining above 50%,” predicts the CGE.
High Temperature Operation
According to the Municipal Department of Social Assistance and Development (SMADS), since September 8 until this Thursday (12), Operation High Temperatures (OAT) has carried out 82,919 services and distributed a total of 279,551 items, including 222,418 bottles of water, 30,004 juices, 5,609 fruits and 21,520 glasses of water consumed from drinking fountains provided by Sabesp. In addition, 272 people were assisted with their pets and received guidance on how to take care of themselves in the intense heat. 242 animals were assisted and 233 pots of water were distributed.
Time change
According to InMet meteorologist Guilherme Borges, the change in weather forecast for Sunday is the first strong cold front of September and should mainly affect the eastern strip of the state of São Paulo, including the southern and coastal regions, concentrating the largest volumes of rain, which could exceed 60 millimeters. For the interior of São Paulo, in the central and western parts, there is also a forecast of rain, but in showers, with volumes varying between 10 and 20 millimeters. “The rain should not exceed that, but it is a relief, looking back and seeing the dry conditions that the interior of São Paulo is experiencing,” he said.
Borges highlighted the possibility of black rain in the state, due to the smoky conditions in much of Brazil, especially in São Paulo, which has had a high concentration of smoke in recent days. “There could be black rain with the movement of this cold front, because rain works to wash the atmosphere and these drops remove the soot present in the atmosphere and consequently it could be recorded in large areas of São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul and the southern states,” he warned.
Air quality
The Cetesb daily bulletin indicates that the weather conditions for the next 24 hours are unfavorable for the dispersion of pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, inhalable particles, fine inhalable particles, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone. Air quality should remain between moderate and poor, with the possibility of reaching the very poor level. There is also a possibility of dust resuspension. This occurs when dust deposited somewhere is lifted again, mainly by the action of the wind.
Fires
According to the latest figures from the Civil Defense of the state of São Paulo, there are 17 active fires in the state this Friday (13). In the metropolitan region of São Paulo, there are fires in Mairiporã and Perus. In the interior of the state, the flames are reaching Bananal, Amparo, Brotas, Caconde, Campinas, Campo Limpo Paulista, Elias Fausto, Lindóia, Mococa, Paulicéia, São Carlos, Cristais Paulista, Itirapuã, Pontal and Pedregulho. The most critical areas are counting on the support of aircraft to contain the fire.
In Itapecerica da Serra, a fire that started on Thursday was fought by the Fire Department and Civil Defense. The fire started near the Sabesp Campestre R2 reservoir, responsible for the water supply in the neighborhoods of Itapecerica Campestre and the city center. The fire did not reach the Santa Mônica Hospital and was completely extinguished at 10 pm. Sabesp has been working at the reservoir site since last night, and the municipal Civil Defense is monitoring the area and supporting residents.
