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Brazil is larger than the United States. As it is one of the few
South American countries not to include the Andes mountains, there
are no permanent snowfields in Brazil. The country is split into
four distinct climatic regions: the Amazon Basin, the Brazilian
plateau, the coastlands within the tropics and the southern states.
The Amazon Basin is the largest area in the world with a typical
equatorial climate. Rainfall in some places can exceed 2000 mm (80")
and there is no real dry season. Tropical temperatures (27 - 32 °C /
80 - 90 °F) are typical. Frost is unknown, but in the south of the
region, occasional cold spells (friagem) cause night temperatures to
fall below 10 °C (50 °F) making it most uncomfortable for the
people. Daytime temperatures of 38 °C (100 °F) are rare, but the
high humidity and monotony of the temperatures can make conditions
very unpleasant.
The Brazilian Plateau is another very large region, but being south
of the Amazon Basin and at a moderate altitude, it has a very
different climate. There is a very distinct wet season at the time
of high sun, with almost all the rainfall (about 1500 mm / 60")
falling between October and April. The dry northeast of the region
has a much lower average rainfall (in some places less than 750 mm /
30"), but it is also very irregular from year to year, causing
prolonged droughts. The tropical east coast (including Rio de
Janeiro) has a typically hot tropical climate, although there are
significant differences in the season of greatest rainfall from
north to south.
Near the Amazon mouth all months are wet, but the greatest rainfalls
occur from December to May (in excess of 300 mm / 12" per month).
Further south (eg Recife) the wettest months are May to August,
although amounts tend to be lower. Further south still (at Rio) the
wettest period is November to April. Nowhere on this coast do
maximum temperatures rise so high as to be uncomfortable, but the
combination of warmth and high humidity can be unpleasant at night.
Daytime heat is often tempered by sea breezes, but temperatures
never drop very low. Frost is unknown on the coast, but in the hills
occasional frosts may damage the coffee crop.
The southern states have a warm temperate climate, although on the
coast a distinct cooler season can produce frosts. Winter has a real
significance in this region, and the difference between the seasons
is determined by temperature rather than rainfall. The area is often
affected by invasions of cold air from the Antarctic, but during
summer, temperatures can rise to levels similar to the tropical
regions. The region has a healthy and pleasant climate with an
average of 8-9 hours of sunshine a day in summer. On the higher
land, frosts are common, but snow is very rare. Inland the wettest
months are during the summer in contrast to the coast.
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