The month of December 2005 was marked by abundant rainfall in north-central parts of the country. In the Northeast of Brazil isolated episodes of heavy precipitation were responsible for more than normal monthly rainfall in the interior regions of Pernambuco and Paraiba states, in southern parts of Ceará state and in the western Bahia state. In southern Brazil the accumulated rainfall was below normal, in spite of the convective activity associated with frontal boundary passages. The temperature was near normal in most parts of the country.

The Sea Surface Temperature (SST) was cooler than normal in the eastern and central sectors of the equatorial Pacific for the fourth consecutive month. It is considered as the beginning of a weak La Niña episode. In the tropical North Atlantic warmer conditions continued to persist. It is important to stress that the conditions in the Atlantic Ocean decisively influence the rainfall behavior in the four-month rainy season (Feb-May) over Northeast Brazil.

The rainfall in the Amazon, Tocantins, northern Parana, southern Sao Francisco and east Atlantic basins was intense and as a consequence, the river discharges exceeded their normal values.

The vegetation fires were reduced by 80% in relation to the previous month in the whole of Brazil. Considering the same month a year ago the reduction was 72%. Especially in the state of Maranhao the number of hot spots during the month were reduced by 1700.

[Índice]