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Generally Mild Climate
Although 90 percent of the country lies in the tropical zone, most of the popu-
lation lives in areas where altitude, sea winds, or cold fronts create moderate
temperatures. Plateau cities such as São Paulo, Brasília, and Belo Horizonte
have very mild climates averaging 66ºF (19ºC). Coastal cities such as Rio de
Janeiro, Recife, and Salvador have warm climates balanced by the regular
trade winds
. Farther south, in cities such as Curitiba and PôrtoAlegre, the cool-
er subtropical climate resembles many areas of the United States and Europe.
In summer (December to March), Rio de Janeiro is hot and humid with tem-
peratures near 90°F (32ºC). The rest of the year, temperatures usually hover
around 77°F (25ºC). The northeast coast gets as hot as Rio in the summer, but
tropical breezes make it less humid and stifling. Northeast Brazil is the hottest
part of the country. In the dry season, between May and November, tempera-
tures frequently rise above 100ºF (38ºC).The Brazilian winter, which lasts from
June to September, is comparatively mild. The coolest southern states enjoy
average winter temperatures that range between 55°F (13ºC) and 64°F (18ºC).
The Amazon Basin is the rainiest part of Brazil. While this area is quite
humid, temperatures are surprisingly moderate, averaging only 80°F (27ºC).
The heaviest rainfall in Brazil occurs around the mouth of the Amazon River,
near the city of Belém, and also in upper Amazonia, where more than 78
inches (198 cm) of rain falls every year. Unlike the Amazon region, however,
most of Brazil experiences moderate rainfall, usually between 39 inches (99
cm) and 59 inches (150 cm) a year. Most of this rain falls between December
and April, while the winter months tend to be dry.
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