Heavy Storms Hit São Paulo State: Record Rainfall and Infrastructure Disruptions

The city of São Paulo recorded the highest 24 hour rainfall volume in Brazil between Friday and Saturday, with 75.4 millimeters measured at the Mirante de Santana station. This surge has made September 2026 the fourth rainiest September in the city since records began in 1943, accumulating 198.2 millimeters in just 12 days. Meteorologists attribute the instability to a cold front and an extratropical cyclone off the coast of Southern Brazil. Forecasts indicate continued rain and cold temperatures through Monday, with highs around 16 degrees Celsius.

The storms caused significant disruptions across the state. In the capital, the city's emergency management center recorded 27 flooding points, and traffic congestion reached 564 kilometers on Saturday afternoon. In Jandira, two men are missing after being swept away by a river current. In the Zona Leste neighborhood of Jardim Pantanal, residents reported severe flooding in homes and criticized local drainage works, while the city administration denied that these works contributed to the flooding. In the interior, the Tamoios highway's old mountain track was closed indefinitely, and landslides were reported in the Vale do Ribeira region, specifically in Eldorado and Apiaí.

Outlets with a center lean focused heavily on the historical meteorological data and the specific logistics of road closures. Outlets with a center left lean emphasized the human cost of the storms, highlighting the missing persons in Jandira and the plight of residents in irregular settlements like Jardim Pantanal.