What to expect from the weather in January? Find out more

Summer is synonymous with high temperatures and thunderstorms in some regions of Brazil. Find out what the weather is like in the first month of the year

January is traditionally the warmest month in most areas of Central-Southern Brazil. During this period the peak of summer occurs, characterized by the accumulation of hot days and the predominance of convective rain, that is, rain that develops in response to the intense heat and humidity present in the atmosphere.

In southern Brazil, January is not known to be an extremely rainy month, except in some specific areas. Eastern Santa Catarina, parts of Paraná, and occasionally northeast Rio Grande do Sul may experience significant amounts of rain due to the South Atlantic Convergence Zone. This area is characterized by being a humidity channel that originates in the Amazon region and extends from the Central-West to the South-East.

How do temperatures vary in January?

Temperatures in January show different patterns between southern and southeastern capitals. In Porto Alegre, for example, the month is characterized by the highest temperatures of the year. The average minimum temperature is 20.7ºC, while the average maximum temperature reaches 31.0ºC. In Sao Paulo the historical average is 19.4ºC, slightly lower than that of February, while the maximum reaches 28.6ºC.

Precipitation in January is highly variable and often irregular in the south and south-east of Brazil. In Porto Alegre the historical average of rainfall in the month of January is 120.7 mm. Sao Paulo, however, records an average of 292.1 mm, the highest in the city’s annual calendar. In the south-east, instability intensifies with considerable heat and humidity, favoring the thunderstorms characteristic of this period.

In 2024, Pacific Ocean conditions are expected to influence January weather. The waters of the Equatorial Pacific have cooled, suggesting the possible presence of the La Niña phenomenon. This oceanic state tends to reduce precipitation in much of southern Brazil, while increased precipitation is possible in the Southeast and Central West.

What to expect from January?

The general trend for January predicts average and above-average temperatures in several regions of the South and Central-West, with the most significant variations in the Mato Grosso do Sul region. The intensity of rainfall can instead influence temperatures in the South-East regions, resulting in periods characterized by high humidity and moderate heat. Models indicate that there will be a notable increase in the number of hot days in Rio Grande do Sul, especially in the second half of the month.

In summary, January in south-central Brazil is a month of extreme weather, combining intense heat with significant precipitation, influenced mainly by large weather systems and the behavior of the Pacific Ocean. This landscape reinforces the importance of monitoring weather forecasts to better adapt to variable weather conditions this time of year.

Summer 2025 in Brazil: without El Niño to contribute to warming, but with most of the planet’s oceans at temperatures above normal average. A cooling trend occurs only in the equatorial Pacific, on the Peruvian coast, but without configuring La Niña.https://t.co/6VyGoDSs2k pic.twitter.com/E9ihQXHTkU

— CLIMATEMPO (@climatempo) December 18, 2024

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.