TRACKING PRECIPITATION SYSTEMS OVER BRAZIL: Analysis of Density, Intensity, Duration and Size Over Two Decades

This study analyzes precipitation systems in Brazil over two decades, using data from the IMERG (Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM) database and a tracking algorithm to identify and monitor these systems throughout their life cycle. Events with a minimum duration of 180 minutes and precipitation greater than 0.1 mm/h were filtered. The analysis revealed a high density of systems in the Amazon region, especially in Western Amazonia, and a lower density in the Northeast. The Southern region, although with fewer events, showed the largest systems in terms of size and duration, often associated with phenomena such as cold fronts or mesoscale convective systems. The analyses revealed that precipitation systems typically start large and intense, then decrease in size and intensity as they evolve. The largest systems tend to occur around 5 AM and 5 PM, with peaks in maximum precipitation shortly after, at 6 AM and 6 PM. These results highlight the importance of monitoring systems in their early stages and provide a solid foundation for future studies on regional climate variability.