Atlantic Rainforest

Brazil Travel & Tours / Climate - In addition to the angle of incidence of the sunlight definded by latitude (see climate zone), the climate of the Atlantic Rainforest / (Mata Atlântica) is mainly influenced by the humid air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean.

By continuous evaporation, the ocean waters are transformed into humid masses an pressed by the winds against the escarpments of the Serra do Mar, thus being forced to rise. In the upper section of the mountains, the humidity is condensed in form of mist or rain, responsible for the humid character of the region.

Temperature and precipitation change with altitude, decreasing about 0,6° C and increasing about 200 mm each 100 height meters.

The annual average temperature along the coast is about 22° C, decreasing to 11° C at 2.000 height meters and reaching negative values at the summit of Agulhas Negras (Itatiaia) with 2.800 height meters. The average annual rainfall at sealevel is about 1.600 mm with an extreme of 2.500 mm in Ubatuba and 1.200 mm in Rio de Janeiro. It increases to 2.600 mm in the montane and up to 3.600 mm in the high montane altitudinal zone.

Generally speaking, the coldest and driest period is from May to August (winter), which is kind of advantageous for outdoor activites like hiking / trekking & mountain biking. On the other hand, nature, in terms of color intensity or voluminosity of the rivers and waterfalls, is more expressive during the hotter and moister period from November to March (summer).

See also: Climate Diagrams