Unusually powerful Subtropical Storm “Yakecan” hits Uruguay and Brazil
Hurricane-force winds and heavy rain brought by Subtropical Storm “Yakecan” hit parts of Uruguay and Brazil over the past couple of days, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power and at least 2 people dead.
An extratropical cyclone moved through the southern region of Brazil on May 15 and stalled offshore, bringing heavy rain. It then made a retrograde movement and obtained subtropical characteristics by May 17, receiving the name Yakecan.
Meteorologist Scott Duncan described Yakecan as a ‘rare and violent cyclone’ that could be ‘historic for intensity at this latitude in South America at this time of year.’
Uruguay’s capital Montevideo registered wind gusts up to 100 km/h (62 mph), forcing authorities to issue an Orange weather alert.
Roofs were blown off, around 23 000 customers were left without power, and at least one person lost his life.
According to officials, a 23-year-old man was killed in Montevideo when a tree fell on his house amid gusts of 98 km/h (61 mph).
The storm brought winds up to 130 km/h (80 mph), storm surges, flooding and power outages to at least 220 000 homes in southern Brazil on May 17.
A boat carrying three people ran aground during the cyclone on Lake Guaíba in Porto Alegre. A 51-year-old man drowned while the two other men on board managed to swim ashore.1
Yakecan also produced snow in the Gaucha and Catarinese Mountains and another natural event as unusual as the cyclone itself – an invasion of sea foam along the Atlantic coast.2
According to Alejandro Pradenas, a marine biologist, the foam was most likely a result of abundant microalgae.
Temperatures have been forecast to plummet in several Brazilian states and there have already been hailstorms in southern Santa Catarina state.
Yakecan is expected to continue affecting the region through May 19.
References:
1 Cyclone Yakecan batters Uruguay and Brazil – BBC – May 18, 2022
2 Subtropical cyclone Yakecan batters Brazil and Uruguay – May 18, 2022
Featured image credit: NOAA/GOES-16, Zoom.Earth, The Watchers. Acquired at 13:30 UTC on May 17, 2022
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.