Daily news demonstrate that harboring generalized expectations about world weather has become increasingly difficult. On the other hand, accurate weather information for travelers is more necessary than ever, especially in view of the tragic consequences of severe weather phenomena, such as the cyclone that struck Myanmar over the weekend.

Today, Brazilian newspapers are summing up the effects of an extratropical cyclone that swept through the two southernmost Brazilian states – Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul – over the weekend. Although not comparable in magnitude to the one that struck Myanmar, the cyclone left a trail of damage that included touristic areas. According to southern online news portal Agora, two people have been reported dead. The cyclone destroyed roofs and caused flooding, landslides, and a power outage that affected 247,000 people in Rio Grande do Sul on Saturday night.

Brazil's continental proportions and diversity of climate zones expose travelers to many different kinds of weather conditions. While it is possible to find recent weather updates and short-term forecasts in English, I firmly believe in enpowering travelers to use Brazilian resources such as the Epagri/Ciram website, due to their own value and also because the more you learn to identify weather information in Portuguese, the better prepared you will be to travel in areas where that information won't be readily available in English.