Residents of the Metropolitan Region of Recife (PE) recorded the occurrence of lightning and thunder in several locations this Thursday (12), the date that marked the official opening of Carnival in Recife and Olinda.
As Electrical discharges were seen and heard in different parts of the capital and neighboring municipalities throughout the day. However, at night, during the opening party in the sister cities, the weather held steady.
In Paulista, in the Metropolitan Region, a resident recorded the exact moment when lightning ripped through the sky during the rain. There were also reports of thunder in neighborhoods in the West Zone, in areas such as Caxangá, and in Piedade and Cajueiro Seco, in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. See records:
In a note, the Apac (Pernambuco Water and Climate Agency) reported that there is a significant increase in the occurrence of lightning and thunder due to the intensification of atmospheric systems common at this time of year.
According to the agency, the action of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, associated with areas of instability and high surface heating, favors the formation of clouds of the type cumulonimbusresponsible for more intense storms.
These clouds, explains Apac, have great vertical development and strong ascending and descending air currents, which contributes to the separation of electrical charges inside them, a process that originates lightning.
Thunder is the sound produced by the rapid expansion of air heated by electrical discharge. The combination of heat and high humidity, characteristics of Pernambuco at this time of year, increases these instabilities, especially in the afternoon and early evening.
The agency states that it continues to monitor weather conditions and reinforces the need to pay attention to safety guidelines during storms.
Apac meteorologist Romelson Ferreira explains that February marks the simultaneous action of systems that favor rain in the State. According to him, this month there is the presence of the High Level Cyclonic Vortex (VCAN), in association with the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which contributes to rain showers and thunderstorms, especially on the coast. He recalls that, despite more concentrated records on the coastal strip, there was also rain in other regions, such as Sertão, albeit in isolation.
Forecast for Carnival
For Carnival days, the forecast is for unstable weather in Pernambuco. According to Apac, there is an indication of light to moderate intensity rains in several regions of the State. The instability already appears this Friday and should continue on Saturday in Zé Pereira, when Galo da Madrugada takes to the streets of Recife.
On Sunday, the tendency is for rain mainly in the Metropolitan Region of Recife and in the Mata areas. In Agreste, the records should be weaker, while in Sertão there may be slightly more intense blows. From Monday onwards, the agency points to a reduction in rainfall on the coast and in Zona da Mata, but the Sertão continues with the possibility of light to moderate rainfall. On Carnava Tuesday, the weather should become firmer in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, with a chance of light rain in inland areas.
