In July the atmospheric and oceanic circulations in the Pacific Ocean continued to show features of La Niña. The Tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures were near normal.

Disturbances propagating from the east were responsible for the strong rainfall in the coastal regions of Northeast Brazil, especially in the Pernambuco coast. Moderate rainfall in the Southeast Region was mainly caused by the passage of cold fronts.

Reduced rainfall in the São Francisco river basin resulted in negative anomalies of the order of 29% in the water level of the Sobradinho reservoir. Negative anomalies prevailed in the reservoirs of the Southeast Region also. The Tres-Marias reservoir in the state of Minas Gerais is lower by 26% from the normal. Very little rainfall in the state of São Paulo affected adversely the runoff of the Grande river at Morimbondo and Agua Vermelha stations.

The 4933 hot points (bush fires) distributed over Brazil in this month were fewer than those registered in the same month of 1999 or 1998.

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