INMET activated alerts for the advance of a “bomb cyclone” that will affect southern Brazil

The National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) of Brazil maintains several active weather alerts for the formation of an extratropic cyclone classified as a “bomb cyclone”, characterized by a rapid intensification, which will impact the southern region of the country with severe storms, hail falls and strong winds.

This phenomenon, technically called explosive cyclogenesis or bombogenesis, occurs when the central pressure of a system drops by at least 24 hectopascals in a 24-hour period.

For this event, weather models indicate that the system's central pressure will drop dramatically from 967 hectopascals to approximately 941 hectopascals between Friday and Saturday.

Faced with this scenario, INMET issued a red alert of “great danger” for the south-central part of Rio Grande do Sul, due to the high risk of heavy rainfall, electric shocks and strong gusts.

At the same time, orange alerts apply for the rest of Rio Grande do Sul, the midwest of Santa Catarina, the west and south of Paraná, and the south of Mato Grosso do Sul, while other surrounding areas remain under yellow warning.