Bioclimatic zoning for Brazil

Zonificación bioclimática del Brasil

Abstract

The impact of weather conditions on human experience can be assessed through bioclimatic indices that measure thermal comfort. This study adopted the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) to analyze the distribution of thermal stress categories across the entire Brazilian territory. From 1979 to 2020, the results present a first climatological norm for thermal comfort in Brazil. Increasing values were observed for extremes of discomfort in both cold and hot situations. Furthermore, there was a decrease in cold-related stress categories, while heat discomfort classes showed an increase. The results revealed a connection with ENSO events, highlighting that El Niño contributes to increased thermal discomfort due to heat, whereas La Niña is associated with thermal discomfort due to cold.

Keywords:
ERA5; climate change; bioclimatology