Earlier this week, authorities at the Rio Grande do Sul canceled football matches, closed government buildings early and suspended classes at schools and universities for fear of major disruptions. There, about 182,000 homes were without electricity on Tuesday.
Temperatures began to drop earlier this week as tropical cyclone Yakekan approached, before bringing down a tropical storm on Thursday.
Weather forecasters say the cold snap has been blocked by a storm in the south of the country and will continue until next Tuesday, when the navy expects a 4-meter (13-foot) wave to hit the Rio coast by Friday night.
At least one person has died of hypothermia in Sao Paulo due to a cold wave in Brazil. Some subway stations were open Friday to protect the homeless, and charities were providing soup and blankets to the needy.
Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology has forecast strong winds all Friday, 510 miles (820 kilometers) south of the city of Rio and Curitiba.
