Subtropical Storm Yakecan was a subtropical cyclone[2] that during its path, passed through the southern region of Brazil, specifically in Rio Grande do Sul and Uruguay. The cyclone came from the sea towards the Rio Grande territory and arrived with less strength in the state of Santa Catarina, where it returned to the sea.[3] It was the sixteenth named storm to hit Brazil since Cyclone Catarina in 2004.
Its severity was confirmed on 16 May 2022 by the National Meteorological Institute (INMET) and the Brazilian Navy, which automatically classified it as an orange alert, meaning a subtropical storm. The orange level is the penultimate level of the scale, and its promotion to the red level was not ruled out.[4] Winds of up to 100 km/h have been projected, and for this reason, both regional and federal civil defence had not denied the possibility of the cyclone turning into a hurricane as it moved towards land.[5]
Yakecan caused two fatalities in Uruguay and Brazil. The first death in Uruguay happened when strong winds caused a palm tree to fall on the roof of a house. The other case was reported in Porto Alegre, where a fisherman's boat sank in Lake Guaíba.[6][7] In the state of São Paulo, the wind brought down a hot air balloon on the banks of Rodovia Castello Branco, in the rural area between the towns of Boituva and Porto Feliz, the balloon carried nine people on board who were immediately rescued. One of them was in serious condition.[8] On the 17 May, due to the intensity of the cold air mass that accompanied the cyclone, its humidity caused freezing rain and snowfall in the higher portions of southern Santa Catarina and Paraná.[9][10][11]
The name “Yakecan” comes from Tupi-Guarani word meaning "sound from the sky".[12] The cyclone began to lose intensity as it moved northeastward and when it turned eastward away from the coast of São Paulo it dissipated in late 19 May, according to the CHM synoptic chart.[13]
On 15 May 2022, an extratropical cyclone moved through the southern region of Brazil and stopped offshore. The low made a retrograde movement and obtained subtropical characteristics, according to Centro de Hydrografia da Marinha (the CHM). On the morning of 17 May, the cyclone transitioned into a subtropical storm, and was given the name Yakecan.[14] During its trajectory, the storm caused snow in the Gaúcha and Catarinense Mountains, setting record lows for this time of year.[15] The cyclone lost its subtropical characteristics and was downgraded late on 19 May to a low-pressure area.[16]
Preparations
Following confirmation of the formation of the storm on 16 May, preparations began for damage reduction and possible weather strategies.
Brazil
In addition to the preparations of each state, the national civil defence was watching the storm situation with concern, thus already providing a number for emergency information via mobile phone.[17]
The civil defence together with the water and electricity companies were in a state of readiness to respond to possible calls that have already been programmed due to the strength of the storm.[19] In Porto Alegre, the Municipal Secretariat of Social Assistance was on duty for possible accidents and assistance to homeless people, teams were approaching and referring homeless people to hostels, shelters and hostels. The city hall made available the Tesourinha Gymnasium as a reception base for the homeless population.[20]
Santa Catarina
In Santa Catarina, the civil defence expected a somewhat weaker storm after hitting the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the main concern was the cold wave that hit the region and could even cause snowfall.[21] Another concern was with the geographical location of Florianópolis, given that it is an island bathed directly by the sea, which could reach waves up to 5 metres (16 ft) high with winds of up to 99 km/h on the coast.[22]
Impact
Brazil
Rio Grande do Sul
More than 220,000 people were affected by power cuts in greater Porto Alegre and Campanha Gaúcha because of the cyclone. Several power poles and cables were broken, leaving residents in the dark.[23] On Lake Guaíba, the storm damaged a boat carrying three people, resulting in one of them drowning.[24]
Santa Catarina
Several municipalities of the coastal strip and mountainous sector of Santa Catarina registered wind damage. On the slopes of the Santa Catarina mountains, the wind was intense enough to cause vehicles to topple over.[25] Due to the intense cold, in the higher areas the cyclone's action caused winter precipitation between 17 and 18 May, in the form of snow and frozen rain;[25] prior to Yakecan, snow had not fallen in the state in 15 years.[26]
Paraná
In Paraná, the ports of Paranaguá and Antonina operated partially due to the intensity of the winds brought by subtropical cyclone Yakecan.[27] According to the Paraná System of Technology and Environmental Monitoring (Simepar), wind gusts were recorded with an intensity that exceeded 64 km/h (40 mph) on the coast of the state. In Guaratuba, a boat and a bridge that gave access to the floats sank on 18 May.[27]
Elsewhere
The presence of Yakecan caused a polar air mass to extend over much of southern Brazil on 18 and 19 May, causing several places to observe record-low temperatures. The city of São Paulo recorded a historic low of 6.6 °C (43.9 °F) on 18 May, while the Federal District recorded its lowest ever temperature of 1.8 °C (35.2 °F) on 19 May. In Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, the temperature fell to 4.4 °C (39.9 °F), the lowest it had been in 43 years.[26]
Uruguay
Storm surge caused by the cyclone flooded several streets in the departments of Maldonado, mainly in the city of Punta del Este[28] and Rocha, as well as other locations in Canelones and Lavalleja. Four people had to leave their homes after the house where they were staying collapsed in the gale.[29] Rescue teams were sent out to respond to 204 incidents across the country. In Rocha, first responders were deployed on 20 occasions to clear trees and fallen power lines.[30] In La Paloma, trees and roofs collapsed with the force of the wind blocking several streets in the department. The gusts reached close to 100 km/h (62 mph) and INUMET (Uruguay's National Meteorological Institute) declared an orange alert for the whole country.[31][32] In the Uruguayan capital Montevideo, a 23-year-old man died after a tree collapsed onto his home.[24]
Hurricane Catarina (2004) – a rare hurricane-force tropical cyclone that made landfall in Brazil
References
^"Global Catastrophe Recap First Half of 2022" (PDF). Aon Benfield. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
^TEMPO, O. (16 May 2022). "Yakecan: Ciclone subtropical pode atingir o Sul com ventos de 100 km/h | O TEMPO". www.otempo.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^"Ciclone Yakecan chega hoje com vento muito intenso e risco de danos". MetSul Meteorologia (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^Povo, Correio do (16 May 2022). "Inmet alerta para risco de tempestade subtropical Yakecan virar furacão". Correio do Povo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^Costa, Jonathas (16 May 2022). "Projeções indicam como ciclone Yakecan vai avançar sobre o território do RS". Correio do Povo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^"Ciclone Yakecan já deixa um morto e um desaparecido". MetSul Meteorologia (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^"Após naufrágio, homem morre vítima do ciclone Yakecan no RS". O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^"Balão cai às margens da Rodovia Castello Branco, em SP, e deixa feridos". O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
^"Umidade do ciclone Yakecan e ar frio trazem neve e chuva congelada". MetSul Meteorologia (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
^"VÍDEO: Chuva congelada é registrada em General Carneiro e Palmas, no sul do Paraná". G1 Paraná. 17 May 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
^"Vídeo: Palmas é a primeira cidade do PR a registrar neve em 2022, confirma Simepar". Ricmais. 18 May 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
^"O que significa Yakecan? Veja origem do nome dado à tempestade tropical - País". Diário do Nordeste (in Brazilian Portuguese). 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
^"Cartas sinóticas 20 de maio de 2022". Brazilian Navy (in Portuguese). 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
^"Cartas Sinóticas | Centro de Hidrografia da Marinha".
^"Umidade do ciclone Yakecan e ar frio trazem neve e chuva congelada". 17 May 2022.
^"Cartas sinóticas 20 de maio de 2022". Brazilian Navy (in Portuguese). 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
^Cardoso', 'Deborah Hana (16 May 2022). "Tempestade subtropical Yakecan atingirá sul do país; saiba o que fazer". Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^ ab"Com alerta de tempestade, mais escolas e universidades do Estado suspendem atividades". GZH (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^"Capital e Litoral monitoram possível ciclone e companhias de água e luz preparam reforço no atendimento". GZH (in Brazilian Portuguese). 16 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^"Tempestade Yakecan: confira serviços afetados e orientações das autoridades no RS". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^"Chance de neve e ciclone marcam as condições do tempo nesta semana em SC". www.nsctotal.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^"URGENTE: Defesa Civil alerta para tempestade com ventos até 99 Km e granizo nesta quinta-feira". Destino Florianópolis - Passeios, Aventuras em Florianópolis (in Brazilian Portuguese). 7 December 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^"RS tem pelo menos 226 mil clientes sem energia elétrica; maioria dos casos fica na área da CEEE Equatorial". GZH (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
^ abBuschschlüter, Veronica (18 May 2022). "Cyclone Yakecan batters Uruguay and Brazil". BBC News. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
^ ab"VÍDEO: ventania tomba caminhão com motorista dentro, em SC; velocidade do vento chegou a 157 km/h". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
^ ab"Cold wave hits southern Brazil with record-low temperatures". France24. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
^ ab"Fortes rajadas de vento afundam embarcação e ponte em Guaratuba, diz prefeitura; VÍDEO E FOTOS". G1 Paraná. 18 May 2022. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
^"Inumet extendió alerta naranja por vientos muy fuertes con rachas de hasta 80 y 100 kilometros por hora". www.elobservador.com.uy (in Spanish). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
^"Ciclón subtropical está sobre aguas brasileñas y fue denominado Yakecan, informó Inumet". www.montevideo.com.uy (in Spanish). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
^"Yakecan cyclone hits Uruguay, then moves on to Brazil". MercoPress. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
^"Fuertes vientos por ciclón Yakecan golpean costas de Uruguay". France 24 (in Spanish). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
^"El ciclón extratropical golpeó a Uruguay y con vientos de casi 100 km/h y todavía rige una alerta meteorológica: murió un joven". LA NACION (in Spanish). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression
