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Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais state, sits inland on the plateau of southeastern Brazil at around 850 metres above sea level, ringed by hills and mountains, at approximately 19.92°S, 43.94°W. Its elevation tempers its tropical latitude, giving it a mild subtropical highland climate (Köppen Cwa) — warm, wet summers and mild, dry winters — with pleasant temperatures much of the year. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, its seasons are reversed relative to the Northern.
Summer, from December to February, is warm and the rainy season, with highs around 28–30°C — kept from becoming truly hot by the altitude — and warm nights. This is the wettest time of year, when heavy afternoon and evening thunderstorms are frequent, sometimes causing flooding and landslides on the hilly terrain, with monthly rainfall often exceeding 200–300 mm.
Winter, from June to August, is mild, dry and sunny, with highs around 26–27°C but cooler nights that can drop to around 13–15°C, occasionally lower. Rain is very scarce in these months, skies are clear and bright, and the warm days and cool nights make winter a pleasant, comfortable season — one of the best times to visit the city.
Belo Horizonte receives on the order of 1,400–1,500 mm of rain a year, strongly concentrated in the summer wet season from November to March, when thunderstorms can bring intense downpours; the winter from June to August is very dry, with some months under 20 mm. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.
Belo Horizonte's plateau altitude gives it a milder, more comfortable version of tropical Brazil — warm days, cool nights and a clear split between a thundery summer wet season and a dry, sunny winter. The heavy summer storms are its main hazard, capable of triggering flooding and landslides on the surrounding hills, while the mild, dry winter is the region's most agreeable season.
To follow any single measurement in Belo Horizonte more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.