Hot and Dry Weather Forecast for Central Brazil’s Planting Season

As a new growing season approaches in Brazil, the Brazilian National Weather Service (Inmet) is forecasting hotter and dryer-than-normal weather for August-September-October for the center-west and southeastern regions of Brazil.

The center-west region of Brazil, including thew states of Mato Grosso, Goias, and Mato Grosso do Sul, has been dry since early May with temperatures above normal and low relative humidity. A mass of hot and dry air has persisted in the region resulting in frequent forest and grass fires, especially in the state of Sao Paulo. Soil moisture levels are below the long-term average and are not expected to improve any time soon.

This is the dry season in central Brazil, so it is not unusual to go three to four months or longer without rain, but this year the dry season started earlier than normal in late April and there is no indication when it might end.

Most of southern Brazil is forecasted to receive above normal rainfall during August-September-October except for the northern half of Parana. Above normal temperatures are expected in southern Brazil during the three-month period except for southern Rio Grande do Sul.

Soil moisture in southern Brazil is expected to remain higher than normal during the upcoming planting season.

In northern and northeastern Brazil, Inmet is forecasting above normal temperatures and below normal rainfall for the three-month period. The summer rainy season usually starts first in western Brazil arrives last in northeastern Brazil.

Farmers in Brazil will start planting corn when conditions are suitable and they are permitted to start planting soybeans on September 1st.

Tags: temperatures above normal, corn, planting, Brazil, soybeans, forecast, dry season, low relative humidity, rain, dryer-than-normal weather