Beachgoers flock to Ipanema beach to beat the extreme heat, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 24, 2023. /CFP
In the Southern Hemisphere, summer won't arrive for another four months, but Brazil is now dealing with a warm winter that has seen nationwide record high temperatures and dry conditions.
According to the National Meteorological Institute, the unusual heat wave, which brought low humidity to the nation that is home to the Amazon tropical rainforest, covered 19 of Brazil's 26 states on Thursday, as well as the capital city of Brasilia.
On Wednesday, Cuiabá, in central-western Brazil, saw the temperature reach a maximum of 41.8 degrees Celsius.
The heat wave also affected residents of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, the two largest cities in Brazil. Rio experienced its second warmest day of 2023 on Thursday, when temperatures soared to 38.7 degrees Celsius.
A digital sign displays the temperature at 42 degrees Celsius in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 24, 2023. /CFP
Authorities said that the air humidity in the northeastern states of Bahia and Piau fell below 20 percent, and the government advised citizens to stay inside during the warmest parts of the day and refrain from physical activity.
With an average temperature of 23 degrees Celsius last month, Brazil had its warmest July on record going back to the start of official monitoring in 1961.
(With input from AP)
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