Brazil Climate

Ninety percent of Brazil’s landmass falls within the tropical zone, as the country is crossed by the equator in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south. However, the nation’s climate is far from homogenous and ranges from equatorial to semiarid to subtropical. Because most of Brazil is in the southern hemisphere (northern Amazonas and Roriama excluded), summer occurs between December and March, while winter runs from June to August.

Near the equator, there isn’t a great deal of seasonal temperature change: occasionally, during the winter months, it may be cool enough to wear a jacket. Temperatures in the Northeast’s lower interior and the Pantanal can soar to 40°C during the summer, while frost is not uncommon during the winter months in the subtropical climate south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Even snow is not unheard of in the mountainous areas of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. Precipitation, as well as temperature, can vary a great deal between regions: while the national average is about 1500mm per year, the coastal regions of Pará and western Amazonas often receive upwards of 3000mm annually. The amount of precipitation that falls in the Amazon means that areas of the rainforest (igapos) are flooded during the wet season (Jan.-June). Despite the huge amounts of precipitation the rainforest receives, much of the forest is relatively dry from May to August. However, throughout the rest of the year it is wet enough that the humidity usually remains above 97%. In stark contrast to the Amazon, the interior Northeast receives only about 500mm of rain per year and experiences severe drought in cycles of about seven years. The Northeast is not only the driest but also the hottest part of Brazil: during the dry season (May-Nov.), temperatures of over 40°C have been recorded. The South and most of the Atlantic coast— as far north as Salvador—have no distinct dry season and receive an average of 1500-2000mm per year. Along the coast, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, and Salvador have warm climates (temperatures average 23-27°C), and experience constant trade winds that moderate the climate, which may explain why these areas are among the most densely populated and most frequently visited in Brazil.