Relating winds along the Southern Brazilian coast to extratropical cyclones

• DOI: 10.1002/met.232
• Publication Date: 2010-12-10T18:30:13Z
• Authors: Daniel Pires Bite...; Gan Manoel; Otavio Costa Acevedo; Marcia Vetromilla...; Michel Nobre Muza; Maria Laura Rodri...; Mario Francisco L...
• Keywords: 13. Climate action; 01 natural sciences; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

AbstractIntense wind events at the southern Brazilian coast cause severe socio‐economic losses. Generally, such events have been associated with extratropical cyclones over the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. The purpose of this study is to identify favoured locations and the processes through which the winds are associated with the extratropical cyclones. Using a statistical analysis, the wind speed observed at nine meteorological stations was compared with cyclone depth and offshore distance. Both cyclone depth and location were obtained through an objective procedure of identifying and tracking. Generally, the winds are well associated with the extratropical cyclones only south of 28°S. Altitude also plays an important role in this relationship. Furthermore, the cyclones influence the observed wind field up to 1200 km inland at higher latitude locations. For stations near 28°S, cyclones further from the coast have an influence, but with smaller statistical significance. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society