Analysis of a funnel cloud episode in Santa Maria/RS on march 4th, 2016

Abstract

In Brazil, especially in the center-south, extreme events such as tornadoes are frequently recorded by the population. In addition to the tornadoes, funnel clouds that have the same genesis as the tornado, but do not touch the soil, are also recorded. The objective of this work was to analyze the atmospheric conditions that resulted in the occurrence of a funnel cloud in Santa Maria / RS on March 4, 2016. Methodological procedures based on analysis of synoptic charts of the Brazilian Navy of the previous day and the day From the event, satellite images of the infrared channel made available by INPE and data from the surface weather station located in the municipality of Santa Maria proved to be conducive to the formation of baroclinic disturbances in the atmosphere. The synoptic charts showed a low pressure system over Rio Grande do Sul causing cloudiness that was later corroborated with the satellite image. The weather station showed that the temperature, humidity, pressure, cloudiness and wind speed oscillated a lot resulting in the formation of the funnel cloud.