Rio Grande do Sul Faces Severe Storms and Tornado Risk Until Weekend

The Civil Defense in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, has issued warnings for severe thunderstorms, hail, strong winds, and potential tornadoes, expected to persist until the end of the weekend. The most critical period for these atmospheric instabilities is forecast between Friday night, May 17th, and Saturday, May 18th. This follows recent severe storms that impacted areas like Eldorado do Sul, near Porto Alegre. The approaching weather system is attributed to a cold front forming in Argentina, combined with intense heat and humidity from northern Brazil, a trough, and an atmospheric block. The state's Civil Defense has issued a "laranja" (orange) alert for thunderstorms and a "amarelo" (yellow) alert for isolated storms. Wind speeds are predicted to reach up to 90 km/h in areas without rain, with gusts exceeding this during precipitation, and conditions are favorable for tornado formation. On Thursday, May 16th, rain began in the western, southern, and campaign regions, with Uruguaiana anticipating 60 millimeters of rain and 90 km/h winds, while Porto Alegre's metropolitan area experienced clear skies and rising temperatures between 11°C and 27°C before the front's arrival. The northern half of the state is expected to experience strong winds causing branch falls, roof damage, and power outages. Saturday is projected to bring the worst conditions, with organized storm lines across most of the state, including the southern half, west, campaign, missions, northwest, central, coastal, and metropolitan regions. High risks of hail, gales, lightning, and heavy rain are anticipated, with rainfall volumes ranging from 30 to 80 millimeters, potentially exceeding 100 mm in some southern and western areas. Winds are expected between 70 and 80 km/h, even outside storm zones, posing a significant risk of flooding and rapid water level rises. Instability is expected to continue into Sunday, May 19th, with some central-western municipalities potentially accumulating up to 200 mm of rain over the weekend.