Autumn in Brazil brings above-average temperatures

Autumn began in the Southern Hemisphere at 00:06 a.m. (Brasília time) this Wednesday (Mar. 20) and will continue until June 21. This year, the season will be characterized by the weakening of the El Niño phenomenon and temperatures above the historical average in all regions of Brazil.

The National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) and the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) are forecasting warmer-than-average temperatures for April, May, and June compared to recent years.

According to Márcia Seabra, Inmet's general coordinator, temperatures in some areas could be 1 to 2 degrees above average throughout the period. She explains that aside from phenomena like El Niño and La Niña, this year's autumn temperature differences can be attributed to global warming.

"It's challenging to attribute today's warmth solely to El Niño. A more plausible explanation is global warming and climate change. Despite El Niño, temperatures are consistently rising, as we observed last year. This trend is something we likely need to adapt to—temperatures are on the rise regardless of El Niño or La Niña phenomena," she explains.

La Niña

The El Niño phenomenon, which peaked in December last year, has been weakening in recent months. "We will likely observe this transition from El Niño to a more neutral condition by the fall," explains the meteorologist.

During this phenomenon, the waters of the Pacific Ocean near the Equator warm up, resulting in changes in rainfall, wind circulation, and temperature.

By the end of fall, the La Niña phenomenon may begin to form in Brazil, gaining strength in the second half of the year. La Niña is characterized by the cooling of Pacific waters. "This results in below-average rainfall in the South and above-average rainfall in the North and Northeast," explains Seabra.