As a low-pressure system moves over northern Argentina and Paraguay beginning this Thursday (Aug. 6), it may develop into an extratropical cyclone with explosive intensification, known as a bomb cyclone.

This is also expected to occur as the system moves through the region between Uruguay and the coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

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According to Micael Cecchini, an astronomer at the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics, and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of São Paulo (USP), a low-pressure system forms when a mass of very cold air approaches a mass of warm air, and the temperature difference causes a rapid drop in atmospheric pressure between them.

In practice, this causes a cyclone. To be classified as a bomb cyclone, or explosive cyclogenesis-the scientific term for the phenomenon-the system must exhibit a drop in atmospheric pressure of at least 24 hPa (millibars) over a 24-hour period.

“Millibars are the unit of measurement used for atmospheric pressure,” explains Professor Cecchini, who receives support from the Serrapilheira Institute.

Because atmospheric pressure is lower and the temperature difference between the air masses is more pronounced when a bomb cyclone forms, storms develop along the boundary between them.

“The cold air mass pushes beneath the warm air mass because it is denser, causing the warm air to rise. This upward movement forms clouds and storms. If the temperature difference is large, this updraft will be more intense,” he explained.

Intensity

The result is more intense storms, with lightning and the possibility of hail. According to the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET), if the forecast holds true, this is expected to occur from Thursday (6) through Saturday (8).

Satellite images indicate that the strongest winds will occur mainly over the Atlantic Ocean, where speeds may exceed 100 kilometers per hour.

Along the coasts of the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, wind gusts exceeding 60 km/h are forecast.

As the cyclone moves southeast toward the Atlantic Ocean and away from the coast, an associated cold front is likely to advance across Argentina and southern Brazil.

The Theatro da Paz and the Teatro Amazonas have been designated World Cultural Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The joint nomination was approved early Monday morning (Jul. 27).

Opened in the late 19th century, when the Amazon region was experiencing intense economic development driven by latex extraction and the rubber trade, the two theaters feature structures built with European materials and share similar cultural purposes, even though 18 years separate their respective openings.

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Given their historical proximity, the nomination for these two cultural venues was submitted jointly under “Theaters of the Amazon.”

Brazilian heritage sites

This approval marks the 26th time that Brazilian cultural, natural, or mixed heritage sites have been added to UNESCO’s international list.

Further recipients of this distinction are the cities of Brasília and Ouro Preto, historic centers such as those in Salvador and São Luís, natural sites such as the Central Amazon Conservation Complex, and mixed sites such as the cultures and biodiversity of Paraty and Ilha Grande.

Theatro da Paz

Located in Belém, capital of Pará state, in North Brazil, the Theatro da Paz was inaugurated in 1878, and was designed by engineer José Tibúrcio Pereira Magalhães. Its main inspiration was Italy’s La Scala, in Milan.

Construction took place from 1869 to 1874, but due to allegations involving costs and government officials, the cultural venue could not be inaugurated until the investigation into the irregularities was concluded.

Architecturally, it was designed to blend the neoclassical style with Amazonian elements, in a structure conceived as an opera house, featuring an orchestra pit capable of perfectly balancing the live music with the voices of the opera singers.

The facility underwent structural renovations to bring the original project closer to the neoclassical style and to install a 40,000-liter water tank beneath the orchestra pit, which served both to supply the venue’s cooling system and to ensure perfect acoustics during performances.

The Theatro da Paz is considered the first opera house in the Amazon and one of the first in Brazil. It holds the title of “monumental theater” and “historical heritage site,” granted by the country’s national heritage authority IPHAN.

Teatro Amazonas

Opened in 1896 in the Historic Center of Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state, the Teatro Amazonas was designed by provincial representative Antônio José Fernandes Júnior, selected by the Portuguese Office of Engineering and Architecture in Lisbon in 1883.

The enterprise was also delayed due to high construction costs and a dispute over the plot of land chosen to house the cultural venue. Construction was coordinated by Italian architect Celestial Sacardim.

The theater features a Renaissance architectural style, and most of the materials used in its structure were imported from Europe. For example, the 36,000 pieces in the colors of the Brazilian flag were imported from Alsace, France, to form the central dome at the top of the building.

For the interior, Pernambuco-born decorator Crispim Amaral chose to use neoclassical elements combined with other styles, giving the venue an eclectic architectural aesthetic. Italian artist Domenico de Angelis was tasked with decorating the Grand Hall, including the fresco titled The Glorification of the Fine Arts in the Amazon.

To this day, the Teatro Amazonas preserves much of its original architectural elements and decor and has been listed by IPHAN as a National Historic Landmark since 1966.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke for over an hour by phone on Sunday evening (Jul. 26). In addition to discussing the integration of national development projects, the leaders also addressed the formalization of a free trade zone involving the two countries.

The Brazilian government stated that the presidents “agreed on the importance of accelerating negotiations for a Mercosur–China agreement that includes the necessary levels of flexibility.”

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Expanding cooperation in strategic and high-tech areas – such as artificial intelligence, satellites, the processing of critical minerals, and the fertilizer trade – was a focus of the shared objectives outlined by the two presidents.

In addition to noting the positive trade balance between the two nations, Lula and Xi Jinping spoke highly of the results of ongoing bilateral initiatives, such as the visa waiver for short-term visits – in effect in both countries since May of this year – and the programs designed to deepen mutual understanding between Brazilians and the Chinese, promoted through the celebrations of the 2026 Brazil–China Cultural Year.

Global conflicts and their impacts on people’s lives, as well as global food and energy security, were highlighted by the two leaders as key challenges on the global agenda.

“The presidents expressed deep concern about the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza,” the statement reads.

Lula and Xi Jinping also agreed that restrictions on free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have harmful effects on the global economy.

The leaders highlighted the role of the Group of Friends of Peace – a diplomatic initiative led by the two countries at the UN, aimed at seeking a peaceful resolution to conflicts through dialogue among countries of the Global South – for ending the war in Ukraine.

Although they criticized the United Nations Security Council’s inability to respond adequately to conflicts, the presidents reiterated their commitment to defending multilateralism and their intention to act in a coordinated manner in international forums.