Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) and risk-intelligence firm SafeAbroad have issued an orange-level (severe) weather warning covering parts of Amazonas, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Pará, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondônia, Roraima, Santa Catarina and Tocantins between 30 November and 2 December 2025. Forecasts project up to 100 mm of rain in 24 hours, winds reaching 100 km/h and potential hail.
Airports in Florianópolis (FLN) and Porto Alegre (POA) reported runway-closure intervals on Monday morning as ground crews removed standing water. Infraero confirmed more than 60 cancellations and 90 delays nationwide by 12:00 BRT, most of them affecting connection-heavy hubs such as Brasília and Guarulhos. Latam and Azul have activated flexible rebooking policies that allow passengers travelling through 4 December to change flights once without penalty.
![Severe Storms Disrupt Travel Across 10 Brazilian States; Authorities Issue Orange Alert]()
On the ground, federal highway police (PRF) warned of partial closures on BR-470 in Santa Catarina after flash-flood damage to a bridge deck, while local civil-defence units in Porto Alegre advised commuters to avoid low-lying areas susceptible to landslides. Inter-city bus operator Viação Garcia suspended overnight services on the Curitiba–Foz do Iguaçu corridor pending road inspections.
For multinational companies managing assignee travel or rotational staff in affected regions, contingency measures are recommended: 1) permit remote work where feasible; 2) verify that accommodation providers have back-up power; 3) instruct travellers to register with corporate tracking apps so HR can confirm safety. Employers should remind staff that airline EU261-style compensation rules do not apply in Brazil when disruptions are caused by ‘force majeure’ weather events—meaning re-routing or refunds may be limited to airline policy, not cash compensation.
Although seasonal summer storms are common, the breadth of the current alert—spanning ten states—makes it one of the most extensive warnings INMET has issued since February 2024. Meteorologists attribute the severity to a strong South Atlantic Convergence Zone interacting with warmer-than-average sea-surface temperatures, a pattern expected to persist through mid-December. Travellers should monitor INMET bulletins and airline alerts closely before undertaking non-essential journeys.
Airports in Florianópolis (FLN) and Porto Alegre (POA) reported runway-closure intervals on Monday morning as ground crews removed standing water. Infraero confirmed more than 60 cancellations and 90 delays nationwide by 12:00 BRT, most of them affecting connection-heavy hubs such as Brasília and Guarulhos. Latam and Azul have activated flexible rebooking policies that allow passengers travelling through 4 December to change flights once without penalty.
On the ground, federal highway police (PRF) warned of partial closures on BR-470 in Santa Catarina after flash-flood damage to a bridge deck, while local civil-defence units in Porto Alegre advised commuters to avoid low-lying areas susceptible to landslides. Inter-city bus operator Viação Garcia suspended overnight services on the Curitiba–Foz do Iguaçu corridor pending road inspections.
For multinational companies managing assignee travel or rotational staff in affected regions, contingency measures are recommended: 1) permit remote work where feasible; 2) verify that accommodation providers have back-up power; 3) instruct travellers to register with corporate tracking apps so HR can confirm safety. Employers should remind staff that airline EU261-style compensation rules do not apply in Brazil when disruptions are caused by ‘force majeure’ weather events—meaning re-routing or refunds may be limited to airline policy, not cash compensation.
Although seasonal summer storms are common, the breadth of the current alert—spanning ten states—makes it one of the most extensive warnings INMET has issued since February 2024. Meteorologists attribute the severity to a strong South Atlantic Convergence Zone interacting with warmer-than-average sea-surface temperatures, a pattern expected to persist through mid-December. Travellers should monitor INMET bulletins and airline alerts closely before undertaking non-essential journeys.
