Two Tornadoes Confirmed in Brazil's Santa Catarina, Damaging Chapecó Airport
Two tornadoes touched down in western Santa Catarina state, Brazil, on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. One struck Chapecó at about 10:30 a.m. local time, and the other struck Xanxerê during the same severe storm, which also suspended operations at Chapecó's airport.
Santa Catarina's state civil defense agency, SDC/SC, said it confirmed the Chapecó tornado. A wind station the agency runs in Chapecó recorded gusts of 93 km/h during the tornado, while a station run there by Brazil's National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) recorded 126 km/h. The same storm line produced a second tornado in Xanxerê about 18 minutes later, with winds of 80 km/h and the possibility of stronger gusts, the agency said.
ND Mais, a regional outlet covering Santa Catarina, reported that homes in Xanxerê had been damaged and that operations were suspended at Chapecó's municipal airport. Chapecó's mayor, Valmor Scolari, declared a municipal state of emergency effective for 180 days. La Nación of Paraguay, citing the wire agency RT, reported the tornado tore part of the airport terminal's structure away and broke large windows; the city suspended afternoon-shift classes at public schools as a precaution.
The agency said heavy rain, wind and hail have affected 58 municipalities across Santa Catarina and damaged 1,438 homes since Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. Four municipalities, including Anita Garibaldi, declared a state of emergency, and five people have been displaced. No deaths or injuries had been reported as of Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026.
The agency said it issued a severe-storm warning 15 minutes before the tornadoes struck. "In situations like this, the guidance is to seek shelter in an enclosed space, preferably an interior room away from windows, and to avoid remaining in vehicles or fragile structures," said Felipe Theodorovitz, the agency's chief meteorologist. A red warning the agency issued remains in effect through Wednesday evening, Nov. 4, 2026.
