Cyclone Catarina is one of several informal names for a South Atlantic tropical cyclone

South Atlantic tropical cyclone

South Atlantic tropical cyclones are unusual weather events that occur in the southern hemisphere. Strong wind shear and a lack of weather disturbances favorable for tropical cyclone development make any hurricane-strength cyclones extremely rare...

 that hit southeastern Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

 in late March 2004. The storm developed out of a stationary cold-core

Surface weather analysis

Surface weather analysis is a special type of weather map that provides a view of weather elements over a geographical area at a specified time based on information from ground-based weather stations...

 upper-level trough

Trough (meteorology)

A trough is an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure, often associated with fronts.Unlike fronts, there is not a universal symbol for a trough on a weather chart. The weather charts in some countries or regions mark troughs by a line. In the United States, a trough may be marked...

 on March 12. Almost a week later, on March 19, a disturbance developed along the trough and traveled towards the east-southeast until March 22 when a ridge

Ridge (meteorology)

A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....

 caused the forward motion of the disturbance to cease.