Hailstones Fall in Santa Catarina Municipality
Images shared with NSC Total show hailstones that fell in the municipality of Luiz Alves, in the Vale do Itajaí, on Saturday afternoon, January 31, 2026. The Civil Defense of Santa Catarina had predicted the phenomenon, which is occurring due to the action of an extratropical cyclone at sea during the weekend.
The cyclone is causing rain to concentrate primarily in the Vale do Itajaí, Greater Florianópolis, and the North Coast, according to the Civil Defense. On Sunday, February 1, 2026, the availability of heat and humidity favors the occurrence of isolated storms in areas of the Coast and throughout the Vale do Itajaí.
In addition to influencing the weather in Santa Catarina, the cyclone is also expected to impact states in Southeastern Brazil, with rainfall that may exceed 100 millimeters in the Serra da Mantiqueira region. On the coast of São Paulo, volumes may exceed 60 millimeters.
There is also a chance of hail in most of the state of São Paulo and in municipalities neighboring Minas Gerais, especially in the Triângulo Mineiro region.
Hail in Luiz Alves
At 5:13 PM on Saturday, January 31, 2026, the Civil Defense of Santa Catarina issued an alert for storms with lightning, wind gusts, hail, and flooding for areas of the Meio-Oeste, Northern Plateau, and Alto Vale do Itajaí regions over the next two hours.
At that time, Carol Signorelli, a resident of Luiz Alves, heard the hailstones on the roof of her house and recorded the phenomenon in the Braço Serafim and Braço Francês neighborhoods, sharing the images with NSC Total.
New Cyclone Will Increase Chances of Rain in SC
The Civil Defense of Santa Catarina published a note on Friday, January 30, 2026, alerting to the formation of a new extratropical cyclone between Monday, February 2, and Wednesday, February 4, 2026. The phenomenon is expected to form near the Southeast region and bring more rain to the Santa Catarina coast.
Starting in the early hours of Tuesday, February 3, 2026, storms are expected to intensify, according to the Civil Defense, especially between the North Coast and Greater Florianópolis. Elevated accumulations increase the risk of flooding, flash floods, and potential landslides, according to the agency.
The phenomenon is expected to be more intense than the extratropical cyclone affecting the weather this weekend.
— Unlike the weekend, when the instabilities are transient, the rain is expected to occur persistently and heavily — warns meteorologist Nicolle Reis, from the Civil Defense.
What are the Civil Defense Recommendations?
- Avoid transiting and/or sheltering near trees, signs, walls, and power poles during strong winds.
- During heavy rain with flooding, never cross flooded streets or submerged bridges, and viaducts.
- Seek sheltered location, away from windows and objects that could be thrown around during storms.