Severe storm leaves thousands of consumers without power in Rio Grande do Sul.

Rio Grande do Sul faced another stormy night this Monday (21) with intense winds, heavy rain and reports of damage in several municipalities.

Pelotas was one of the hardest-hit cities, with gusts of 89 km/h and the collapse of a building in the central region. The building was unoccupied and there were no reports of injuries. The force of the wind also caused power poles to fall onto BR-116, leading to the road being blocked.

The records from the utility companies show differences depending on the update and the area considered. At CEEE Equatorial, reports indicated that, among the affected municipalities, there were between approximately 48 and more than 200 consumer units without power.

Pelotas had over 90 affected areas, Rio Grande almost 70, and Porto Alegre over 48. In a previous survey, which combined information from CEEE Equatorial and RGE, the number of points without power reached over 930 at 5:50 am.

In Pelotas, in addition to the building that collapsed, a structure partially damaged another property and the roof of a house. According to a resident, the incident occurred around 1 a.m., when strong winds caused the neighboring structure to fall.

Gale

In the Porto Alegre Metropolitan Region, damage was also reported in Novo Hamburgo, Canoas, and Eldorado do Sul. Given the predicted intensity of the storm, the state Civil Defense issued a red alert via the Cell Broadcast system at approximately 2:50 AM.

The storm hit different regions of the state. In São Jerônimo, gusts reached 115,8 km/h; in Rio Grande, 113,7 km/h; and in Cerrito, 104,1 km/h. At least 20 municipalities recorded winds exceeding 80 km/h.

Alert remains

Brazil's National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) has maintained a red alert for Rio Grande do Sul until 23:59 PM this Monday. The forecast indicates rainfall of up to 100 millimeters and gusts exceeding 100 km/h.

According to Climatempo, this Monday is considered the day with the highest meteorological risk of the week in the state. In addition to wind gusts, thunderstorms, hail, and intense rain are expected in short periods.

The heaviest rainfall is expected to be concentrated in the Central, Northern, Valley, and Serra Gaúcha regions, with volumes between 50 and 100 millimeters and the possibility of exceeding 170 millimeters in isolated areas.

The state Civil Defense also issued a severe warning for intense and heavy rain between São Pedro do Sul and Santa Maria, with a very high risk of flooding. The warning was valid until 10 am this Monday.

Temperature drop

The outlook for the coming days is for a change in weather patterns. Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the cold front should move away, and a mass of polar air will advance over the state, reducing instability and causing a sharp drop in temperatures.

Mornings are expected to be chilly midweek, with temperatures near 2°C in the coldest areas of Campanha and Serra Gaúcha. This change coincides with the arrival of spring, which officially begins this Tuesday, the 22nd, at 21:05 PM.

For the season, the forecast indicates above-average rainfall throughout southern Brazil, with frequent thunderstorms. In Rio Grande do Sul, the highest volumes are expected in the North and Northwest regions.

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