Extreme Weather: Storms triple in São Paulo in a decade

Data from the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) indicate that the frequency of extreme rainstorms in Greater São Paulo region has tripled in a decade. Between the years 2001/2010 and 2011/2020, thunderstorms over 100 millimeters went from two to seven days every ten years, while heavy rains over 80 millimeters went from nine to 16 days.

A comparison with INMET’s initial period of analysis, between 1961 and 1970, also shows an expressive increase in the number of days with rainfall above 50 mm and precipitation above 80 mm in the last decade. Thunderstorms above 100 mm were repeated seven times in the most recent period, while in the 1960s, there were no occurrences.