Paula Laboissière       Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – It rarely rains in Brasília between May and September. The period is usually dry as bone, so the rain that has fallen in the capital of the country during the last few days has surprised residents.

Sandra Santos, 26, who supervises events, said she thought something was very wrong when she saw raindrops falling on her apartment window. But then she decided it was a good thing, “It reduces the dust and the pollution,” she said. “Not to mention that your skin is less dry.”

Leonardo Almeida, 32, a storekeeper, said he has lived in Brasilia for ten years and was used to cold and dry Julys. He blamed the unseasonable weather on pollution and deforestation.

Taxi driver, Carlos Costa Rodrigues, 34, liked the rain that fell on Monday and Tuesday. “It is good to settle some of the dust because it is very dry. If it rains some more it might manage to really stop the dust for a while.”

The forecast for yesterday and today (Wednesday and Thursday, July 18 and 19) is for cloudy skies and more isolated light rain showers. Relative humidity will vary from 40% to 90%.

According to weatherlady, Morgana Almeida, the last time it rained in July in Brasilia was in 2006. “Even though rain during this period is not common, it is not considered atypical or rare. The rain this week is the result of a line of instability caused by a cold front between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Although that is far away, it contributes to local weather,” she explained. 

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English

Link - Chuva em julho surpreende brasilienses