Brazil weather can not possibly be described within the parameters of a single phrase. Which is quite understandable, given the country’s enormous size (ie Brazil is larger than the USA). Hence the biggest characteristic of weather in Brazil is the great fluctuation in patterns found across the country. Another unique aspect that needs to be considered when analyzing Brazil weather – especially when its patterns are compared to those found in neighboring countries – is that the country is one of the very few in South America that does include the Andes Mountains in its geography, and as a result it does not have any permanent snowfields.
To better understand the peculiarities of Brazil weather, it’s best to divide the country into four regions: the Amazon Basin, the Brazilian plateau, the coastlands within the tropics and the southern states.
Around the Amazon Basin equatorial weather conditions prevail. As a matter of fact, Brazil’s Amazon Basin is actually the largest area in the world where such conditions are found. Rainfall is bountiful (exceeding 2000m at some areas) and a dry season is more distinguished by its absence than its influence. Daytime temperatures usually hover between 27 - 32 °C, rarely soaring to 38 °C, while the cold spells that occasionally dominate conditions in the south of the region can send night temperatures to as low as 10 °C.
The Brazilian Plateau is located at a moderate altitude and south of the Amazon Basin and experiences vastly different weather conditions than the latter. The time between October and April is considered to be the wet season as well as that of the high sun. Precipitation during this season is significantly higher than the rest of the year; as a matter of fact most of the region’s rainfall – roughly around 1500mm – falls during this time. Again, because of the country’s vastness Brazil weather varies greatly between different places in this region. For example Rio de Janeiro and the rest of the east coast enjoy a distinctively tropical climate, while in the dry northeast area precipitation is significantly lower, dropping to a meager 750mm in some area.
Moving closer to the Amazon, rainfall is even more pronounced to the point where all months of the year experience ample rainfall. However the season between December and May enjoy the area’s lion’s share of precipitation, that is in excess of 300mm for each month. Further south precipitation levels drop considerably and the wet season moves to the time between November and April.
Brazil weather around the coast is characterized by high but not uncomfortably so temperatures. However conditions take a turn for the worst when night sets in, thanks to the combination of heat and high humidity. During the day, breezes blowing in from the sea often much needed comfort, but fail to have a significant effect on mercury. As a general thump the coastal areas are frost free, although frost occasionally cause damage to coffee crops situated at the hills.
Weather in Brazil takes on a warm temperate disposition around the country’s southern states. In these part of the country, it’s temperature rather than rainfall that determines the difference between seasons. Although cold air from the Atlantic occasionally invades the area, altering its weather patterns, summer temperatures share many similarities with those expected to dominate the tropical regions. The southern states are also blessed with abundant amounts of sunshine, averaging between 8 to 9 hours per day during the summer season. In sharp contrast to the coast, wet season inland coincides with summer. Although on higher altitudes snow only makes very rare appearances, frost are rather common.
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