Temperature in March: 61 degrees in Brazil, and heat waves in Sudan and Morocco

Mercury reached alarming levels across the planet during March. Here are three heat episodes that are particularly notable for this period.

62 degrees in Rio

The temperature reached 62.3 degrees in Brazil during the last Sunday of summer in the Southern Hemisphere, March 17.

In Rio de Janeiro, the Guaratiba region was the scene of an unprecedented heat wave.

“Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun. Hydrate!”, warned Rio's municipal alert system on

Heat waves followed one another in Brazil in 2023, the hottest year on record in the country. There have been at least 65 days of heat waves, nine times more than in 1990, according to data from the National Institute for Space Research.

A very dangerous situation, especially for the 40% of the population who live in slums.

A study by Redes da Maré (Maré Networks), a local NGO fighting for quality of life and human rights, explained that “more densely built-up areas, with heat-absorbing materials, little green space and shade, favor higher temperatures.” . 140 million people in Favelas de Mare, published in November 2023.

45 degrees in Sudan

South Sudan closed its schools due to the heat for the first time in its history, and indefinitely.

The heatwave has continued for a week in East Africa, and is expected to continue through the first week of April, with temperatures reaching 45°C daily.

In addition to closing schools, the government recommends that young people remain confined to their homes to avoid the dangers of this extreme heat to their health.

Without specifying the number of cases, deaths linked to excessive heat have already been reported, according to authorities.

The heat wave period is expected to continue this week.

Summer and winter temperatures in Morocco

The city of Agadir in Morocco also witnessed an unusual rise in temperatures in the winter, reaching 37.7 degrees Celsius on Sunday, March 17.

This is not the first time in 2024 that temperatures have risen abnormally in Morocco. The country recorded its warmest January since 1940.

The temperature also reached 36.6 degrees Celsius in Tan-Tan, in the south of the country, in February, setting a new national temperature record for that month.

This extreme heat comes at a time when the country is already facing a six-year drought.