Rio Grande do Sul braces for severe storms with heavy rain, hail, and winds up to 100 km/h

Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, is facing a high risk of severe thunderstorms on Tuesday, May 21st, due to a cold front moving through the Southern Region. The northern half of the state is expected to experience intense rain, strong winds, and potential hail. Meteorology firm Climatempo forecasts that the Northwest, North, Planalto, and Serra regions, along with areas north of Porto Alegre's Metropolitan Region, are most susceptible to these storms. These areas could see lightning and wind gusts reaching up to 80 km/h. Isolated locations near the Argentine border and the Erechim region might receive up to 100 millimeters of rain, increasing the risk of floods and flash floods. The National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) has issued a "danger" alert for thunderstorms across most of the state, valid until late Tuesday night. Inmet predicts daily rainfall between 50 and 100 millimeters, winds from 60 to 100 km/h, and hail, warning of potential power outages, crop damage, fallen trees, and flooding. Furthermore, Inmet issued a "great danger" alert for accumulated rainfall, with potential volumes exceeding 100 millimeters in a single day, raising concerns about major floods, river overflows, and landslides in vulnerable areas. The Inmet alerts cover the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre, Northwest, Northeast, Central-West and East, Southwest, and Southeast regions. Looking ahead, on Wednesday, May 22nd, the cold front will move towards Santa Catarina, Paraná, and Mato Grosso do Sul, but atmospheric conditions will remain conducive to rain showers in various parts of Rio Grande do Sul, particularly in the Northwest, North, and Serra regions. More significant weather changes are expected on Thursday, May 23rd, with the arrival of a high-pressure system and polar air mass, leading to stable conditions across most of the state, except for isolated showers on the North Coast due to residual atmospheric moisture.