The first tropical cyclone of hurricane intensity in the satellite era developed in the South Atlantic on 25 March and struck the southern coast of Brazil in Santa Catarina State with unofficial sustained winds of 75 knots early on 28th. Two people were confirmed dead and five fishermen were feared dead after their ship sank off the coast. At least 200 homes were destroyed and 2000 damaged according to an Associated Press report.

Tropical analysts at the Satellite Analysis Branch (SAB) derived 11 position and intensity estimates on the tropical cyclone, dubbed Catarina by Brazilian meteorologists, and seven phone coordination calls were held with satellite meteorologists at the Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch (TAFB) of the Tropical Prediction Center (TPC). All estimates were also disseminated via the SSD website. Satellite intensity estimates suggesting maximum sustained winds of 75 knots for the 30 hours leading up to landfall agreed well with unofficial observations at the time of landfall

Satellite Analysis Branch estimated positions and intensity for South Atlantic storm:

Date/Time	Lat		Lon		Dvorak Estimate (FT/CI)
25/2009Z	28.8S		42.3W		T3.0/3.0
25/2339Z	28.7S		42.6W		T3.0/3.0
26/0639Z	28.7S		43.1W		T3.5/3.5
26/1145Z	28.9S		43.7W		T4.0/4.0
26/1709Z	29.0S		44.3W		T4.5/4.5
26/2300Z	29.0S		44.8W		T4.5/4.5
27/0639Z	29.3S		45.6W		T4.5/4.5
27/1145Z	29.5S		46.4W		T4.5/4.5
27/1745Z	29.6S		47.4W		T4.5/4.5
27/2309Z	29.3S		48.2W		T4.5/4.5
28/0639Z	28.9S		49.7W		OVERLAND

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