MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Heavy rains and flooding forecasted for Asuncion, Paraguay and Porto Alegre, Brazil

Much of the heaviest rain through the middle of next week is expected to stay south and east of some of the areas hardest hit in January

Although flooding rain has already hit parts of Brazil so far in 2020, more rain and flooding could strike the southern part of the country in the coming week. In addition to southern Brazil, other parts of South America may also be threatened.

“A stalling front will lead to daily rounds of showers and drenching thunderstorms into early next week,” said Accuweather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls.

The rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected across southern Brazil and into Paraguay, Bolivia and extreme northern Argentina.

Even amid normally wet stretch of the year in January and February, when some cities see over 200 mm of rain in a month's time, some communities could total this much rain in just a single week.

“The heaviest rain, and the greatest risk for flooding, is anticipated from Parana into Sao Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul in southern Brazil,” added Nicholls.

This will also be the area where locally strong thunderstorms are anticipated. These storms are likely to produce heavier downpours, damaging winds and even some hail.

In southern Brazil and into southern and central Paraguay, widespread rainfall amounts of 50-100 mm are expected, with pockets of rain that could surpass 150 mm of rain. The cities of Asuncion in Paraguay and Porto Alegre in Rio Grande average only about 100 mm of rain in a month this time of year.

Much of the heaviest rain through the middle of next week is expected to stay south and east of some of the areas hardest hit in January, including the city of Belo Horizonte. More than fifty deaths were attributed to flooding and landslides from heavy rainfall that hit the city on Jan. 24.

While the heaviest rain is not anticipated to reach the Belo Horizonte region, some steadier rain may return late next week. Even a small amount of rain, given how wet it has been since the start of the year, could lead to the return of flooding issues.