The 2004 storm that was the only recorded hurricane-strength cyclone to make landfall in Brazil was Hurricane Catarina.
Catarina formed in the South Atlantic in March 2004, an exceptionally unusual location for a tropical cyclone. It developed from a disturbance associated with an upper-level trough and strengthened over relatively warm water while encountering less wind shear than is typical in the basin. Satellite imagery showed a compact, organized storm with an eye and hurricane-like structure.
The cyclone reached hurricane strength on March 26 and peaked near Category 2 intensity before making landfall on March 28 near the border of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. Its name was unofficial, inspired by the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina; it was not assigned through the normal World Meteorological Organization naming system.
Catarina destroyed about 1,500 homes, damaged roughly 40,000 more, and caused major agricultural losses. It remains the only hurricane-strength tropical cyclone reliably observed in the South Atlantic, although the region's comprehensive records are relatively recent.