Winds gusting to 100 kilometers per hour, rainfall between 30 and 60 millimeters per hour.
Na véspera de um novo dia, o Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia emitiu um alerta laranja para quarenta e cinco municípios do sul de Santa Catarina, colocando comunidades costeiras, agrícolas e urbanas diante de ventos de até 100 km/h e chuvas intensas. O segundo nível mais grave do sistema de alertas brasileiro não é apenas uma classificação técnica — é um lembrete de que a natureza impõe seus próprios ritmos sobre os ritmos humanos. Entre a madrugada de 18 de novembro e as primeiras horas do dia seguinte, a região enfrenta aquilo que toda sociedade eventualmente enfrenta: a necessidade de pausar, proteger e resistir.
- Ventos de até 100 km/h e chuvas de 30 a 60 mm por hora ameaçam simultaneamente a infraestrutura elétrica, as lavouras e as vias de circulação em dezenas de cidades.
- Quarenta e cinco municípios — de Passo de Torres ao sul até Tubarão ao norte — estão sob a mesma ameaça meteorológica, sem distinção entre grandes centros e pequenas comunidades rurais.
- Árvores caídas, alagamentos e quedas de energia são consequências esperadas, não apenas possíveis, pressionando os serviços de emergência antes mesmo de o pico da tempestade chegar.
- Defesa Civil (199), Corpo de Bombeiros (193) e a concessionária CEMIG (116) foram acionados como pontos de resposta, sinalizando que o sistema de proteção coletiva já está em movimento.
- O alerta vigora durante horas de atividade humana intensa, exigindo que moradores tomem decisões concretas — recolher objetos soltos, evitar áreas alagadas, permanecer em segurança — enquanto a tempestade avança.
O Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia emitiu, na madrugada de 18 de novembro de 2025, um alerta laranja para quarenta e cinco municípios do sul de Santa Catarina. Válido por vinte e quatro horas, o aviso ocupa o segundo degrau mais alto da escala nacional de perigo meteorológico — abaixo apenas do vermelho, reservado para situações extremas.
A tempestade traz ventos com rajadas de até 100 km/h e precipitações entre 30 e 60 milímetros por hora. Essas condições não são abstratas: linhas de transmissão devem cair, plantações serão danificadas, árvores irão tombar sobre estradas e o risco de alagamentos é real e imediato. A combinação de vento forte e chuva intensa sobrecarrega drenagens, fragiliza a rede elétrica e transforma trajetos cotidianos em rotas de risco.
A área afetada é extensa e diversa. Criciúma concentra parte significativa da população atingida, mas o alerta alcança também municípios litorâneos como Araranguá e Garopaba, zonas agrícolas como Braço do Norte e Cocal do Sul, e dezenas de cidades menores espalhadas pela região sul do estado.
Os canais de emergência foram ativados. A Defesa Civil atende pelo 199, o Corpo de Bombeiros pelo 193 e a CEMIG pelo 116 para ocorrências na rede elétrica. Para os moradores dessas quarenta e cinco jurisdições, as próximas horas pedem atenção prática: objetos soltos recolhidos, áreas alagadas evitadas, números de emergência à mão. O alerta foi emitido; cabe agora à região responder com a mesma seriedade com que a natureza se anuncia.
Brazil's National Institute of Meteorology issued an orange-level storm alert on November 18, 2025, for forty-five municipalities across southern Santa Catarina. The warning, in effect from 3 a.m. that morning through the same hour the following day, signals the second-highest tier of weather danger in the country's alert system—a step below only the most severe red designation.
The storm system threatens the region with winds gusting up to 100 kilometers per hour and rainfall rates between 30 and 60 millimeters per hour. These conditions carry concrete hazards: power lines will likely fail across the affected area, crops face destruction, trees will topple, and flooding is probable. The institute's three-tier warning structure—yellow for potential danger, orange for danger, and red for extreme danger—places this event squarely in the serious category, warranting immediate preparation and caution.
The alert encompasses a broad swath of southern Santa Catarina's population centers and smaller towns. Criciúma anchors the list, but the warning extends to coastal communities like Araranguá, Garopaba, and Balneário Gaivota, inland agricultural areas such as Braço do Norte and Cocal do Sul, and dozens of smaller municipalities scattered across the region. From Passo de Torres in the south to Tubarão in the north, residents across forty-five separate jurisdictions face the same meteorological threat.
The practical consequences are already being anticipated. Power infrastructure is vulnerable; the state's energy utility, CEMIG, has been flagged as the point of contact for outages and downed poles. Agricultural operations will suffer damage. The combination of extreme winds and heavy rain creates conditions where trees snap and fall across roads, where water accumulates faster than drainage systems can handle, and where the electrical grid becomes fragile. Residents in these areas are being advised to prepare for potential service disruptions and property damage.
Emergency response channels have been activated. The Civil Defense system, reachable at 199, stands ready to coordinate rescue and relief operations. The Fire Department, accessible at 193, will respond to immediate crises—fallen trees blocking roads, people trapped by flooding, structural collapses. These are not theoretical possibilities but anticipated outcomes of the storm's passage. The alert system exists because these scenarios have happened before and will happen again.
For residents across the forty-five affected municipalities, the hours ahead require vigilance. The storm arrives during daylight and extends into the following morning, meaning the most dangerous conditions will unfold when people are awake and potentially outdoors. Securing loose objects, staying indoors during peak wind hours, avoiding flooded areas, and keeping emergency numbers accessible are the practical steps available to those in the path of the system. The alert has been issued; the warning is clear. What remains is how the region responds.
Citações Notáveis
Residents should contact Civil Defense at 199 for emergencies, the Fire Department at 193 for immediate crises, and CEMIG at 116 for power-related issues.— INMET alert guidance
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why does the institute use three different alert levels instead of just one warning system?
Because storms vary enormously in their actual danger. A yellow alert tells people to pay attention and prepare. An orange alert means conditions are genuinely hazardous—you should take shelter, secure your property. Red means catastrophic risk. The three levels let people calibrate their response to what's actually coming.
Forty-five municipalities is a huge area. Are all of them equally at risk?
The alert covers the whole region because the storm system is large and the wind field doesn't respect municipal boundaries. But yes, some places will likely see worse impacts than others—coastal areas might flood differently than inland towns, and how much tree damage occurs depends on local forest density and soil conditions. The alert is a broad brush because meteorology can't pinpoint that precisely.
What makes 100 km/h winds actually dangerous to people?
At that speed, wind can overturn vehicles, snap tree branches, tear roofing off buildings. It's not just the wind itself—it's what the wind carries and what it destroys. A falling tree branch or a piece of metal roofing becomes a projectile. That's why people are told to stay indoors.
The alert mentions both power cuts and flooding. Are those connected?
Not directly, but they compound each other. Heavy rain causes flooding. High winds topple trees and power lines. When the power goes out, pumping stations that normally manage water drainage stop working, which can make flooding worse. And if you're trapped by floodwater, you can't call for help if the cell towers are down from wind damage.
Why is CEMIG specifically mentioned for power outages?
Because they're the utility responsible for that infrastructure in the region. When poles fall or lines snap, CEMIG is who repairs them. The alert is telling people: if your power goes out, this is who to contact. It's practical information—know who to call before the emergency happens.
What happens after the alert expires?
The meteorologists will reassess. If the storm weakens or moves away, the alert ends and life returns to normal—though cleanup and repairs will take weeks. If conditions worsen or the system stalls, they might upgrade to red. The alert system is dynamic; it changes as the weather changes.