An intense band of early-summer thunderstorms rolled across Brazil between 30 November and 2 December, dumping up to 100 mm of rain, pelting airports with hail and whipping up 100 km/h winds. The National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) issued an orange-level alert covering swathes of Amazonas, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Pará, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondônia, Roraima, Santa Catarina and Tocantins—one of the widest warnings since 2024.
Infraero’s operational dashboard logged more than 60 flight cancellations and roughly 90 delays, with runway closures at Florianópolis-Hercílio Luz (FLN) and Porto Alegre-Salgado Filho (POA) during the heaviest cells. LATAM and Azul responded by waiving one change fee for passengers booked through 4 December, provided routing and cabin class remain unchanged. Seats, however, are already scarce on the São Paulo–Rio–Brasília trunk network as carriers attempt to re-protect travellers.
![Severe Summer Storms Cancel Flights and Snarl Roads Across Ten Brazilian States]()
Ground transport fared little better. Flash floods damaged a bridge deck on BR-470 in Santa Catarina, triggering partial closures, while civil-defence officials warned of landslide risks on mountain highways feeding coastal resorts. Long-haul bus operator Viação Garcia suspended overnight Curitiba–Foz do Iguaçu runs pending structural inspections.
For business-travel managers the storms underscore Brazil’s limited slack in peak-season capacity: when weather forces cancellations, re-accommodation options are minimal and EU-style cash compensation rules do not apply. Companies should encourage staff to rebook proactively online rather than queue at airport counters, verify that hotels have back-up power, and authorise remote work if onward connections become impossible.
Meteorologists expect the convection pattern to persist through mid-December, meaning further pop-up storms are likely. Travellers should monitor INMET bulletins and allow extra travel time on both air and road corridors, especially in the South and Amazon regions.
Infraero’s operational dashboard logged more than 60 flight cancellations and roughly 90 delays, with runway closures at Florianópolis-Hercílio Luz (FLN) and Porto Alegre-Salgado Filho (POA) during the heaviest cells. LATAM and Azul responded by waiving one change fee for passengers booked through 4 December, provided routing and cabin class remain unchanged. Seats, however, are already scarce on the São Paulo–Rio–Brasília trunk network as carriers attempt to re-protect travellers.
Ground transport fared little better. Flash floods damaged a bridge deck on BR-470 in Santa Catarina, triggering partial closures, while civil-defence officials warned of landslide risks on mountain highways feeding coastal resorts. Long-haul bus operator Viação Garcia suspended overnight Curitiba–Foz do Iguaçu runs pending structural inspections.
For business-travel managers the storms underscore Brazil’s limited slack in peak-season capacity: when weather forces cancellations, re-accommodation options are minimal and EU-style cash compensation rules do not apply. Companies should encourage staff to rebook proactively online rather than queue at airport counters, verify that hotels have back-up power, and authorise remote work if onward connections become impossible.
Meteorologists expect the convection pattern to persist through mid-December, meaning further pop-up storms are likely. Travellers should monitor INMET bulletins and allow extra travel time on both air and road corridors, especially in the South and Amazon regions.
