Climate and Weather in Brazil
 погода в Бразилии, климат There are five climatic regions in Brazil: equatorial, tropical, semi-arid, highland tropical and subtropical. The seasons are the reverse of those in Europe and the United States. Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Natal and Salvador on the coast have warmer climates balanced by the Trade Winds. Rio, for example, has an average temperature of around 80°F (26°C), which will climb to over 100°F (38°C) during the summer months. In the southern Brazilian cities of Porto Alegre and Curitiba, the subtropical climate is similar to parts of the US and Europe, with frosts occurring in the winter months (July to August) when temperatures can fall below freezing. Summers are hot, however. Despite the popular image of the Amazon as a region of blistering heat, temperatures rarely rise above 90°F (32°C), and days are generally warm, wet and humid. The region has two seasons: a rainy season (November to May) and not-so-rainy season (June to October).
Situated in the tropical South Atlantic, Rio de Janeiro is warm all year round. Summers, between November and March, are very hot and humid. Winters are cool and dry, never cold, with some precipitation, lasting only from June to September.
The climate of Sao Paulo may not be as congenial as other Brazilian cities, but it is warm and sunny enough by world standards. The weather remains mild to warm all year round, the lowest temperatures of around 54°F (12°C) being experienced during July and the maximum of around 82°F (27°C) being enjoyed during the hottest month of February. Sao Paulo receives around 53 inches (135cm) of rain a year, mostly during the summer months.
The Amazon Basin is the largest area in the world with a typical equatorial climate. Rainfall in some places can exceed 2000 mm (80") and there is no real dry season. Tropical temperatures (27 - 32 °C / 80 - 90 °F) are typical. Frost is unknown, but in the south of the region, occasional cold spells (friagem) cause night temperatures to fall below 10 °C (50 °F) making it most uncomfortable for the people. Daytime temperatures of 38 °C (100 °F) are rare, but the high humidity and monotony of the temperatures can make conditions very unpleasant.
The Brazilian Plateau is another very large region, but being south of the Amazon Basin and at a moderate altitude, it has a very different climate. There is a very distinct wet season at the time of high sun, with almost all the rainfall (about 1500 mm / 60") falling between October and April. The dry northeast of the region has a much lower average rainfall (in some places less than 750 mm / 30"), but it is also very irregular from year to year, causing prolonged droughts. The tropical east coast (including Rio de Janeiro) has a typically hot tropical climate, although there are significant differences in the season of greatest rainfall from north to south.
Near the Amazon mouth all months are wet, but the greatest rainfalls occur from December to May (in excess of 300 mm / 12" per month). Further south (eg Recife) the wettest months are May to August, although amounts tend to be lower. Further south still (at Rio) the wettest period is November to April. Nowhere on this coast do maximum temperatures rise so high as to be uncomfortable, but the combination of warmth and high humidity can be unpleasant at night. Daytime heat is often tempered by sea breezes, but temperatures never drop very low. Frost is unknown on the coast, but in the hills occasional frosts may damage the coffee crop.
The southern states have a warm temperate climate, although on the coast a distinct cooler season can produce frosts. Winter has a real significance in this region, and the difference between the seasons is determined by temperature rather than rainfall. The area is often affected by invasions of cold air from the Antarctic, but during summer, temperatures can rise to levels similar to the tropical regions. The region has a healthy and pleasant climate with an average of 8-9 hours of sunshine a day in summer. On the higher land, frosts are common, but snow is very rare. Inland the wettest months are during the summer in contrast to the coast.
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