This paper presents the results of a study of the ionospheric and thermospheric response to magnetic storm disturbances for four stations covering a wide range of latitude in the South American region. The study is based on the F layer critical frequency (foF2) and the peak height (hmF2) from Fortaleza (FZ), which is equatorial, Cachoeira Paulista (CP), which is low latitude, Concepci¿n (CON), a midlatitude site, and King George Island (KGI), a middle to high latitude site. Equivalent neutral winds are extracted from the measured hmF2 by employing the Field Line Interhemispheric Plasma (FLIP) model. The Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) can undergo enhancement due to magnetospheric disturbance electric field that penetrates to low latitudes during the growth phase of a storm/substorm, whereas EIA inhibition occurs more often under disturbance dynamo (DD) electric field. Season-dependent meridional/transequatorial winds can significantly alter the EIA response to disturbance electric fields. Large amplitudes of DD electric field is observed during evening and morning hours in equinoctial, but not in winter, months. Over the Brazilian low latitude of large westward magnetic declination angle, large equatorward meridional wind surges seem to be helped by the presence of disturbance zonal (westward) winds. The low latitude disturbance can, in some cases, be traced to specific disturbance fronts originating promptly from auroral activity enhancements. This study confirms earlier studies that show that the quiet time meridional wind increases with increase of latitude and that over midlatitude it shows decreases with increase of solar flux due to the effect of the ion drag force. This study further shows that the disturbance meridional wind and the intensity of DD electric field increase with increasing intensity of high latitude energy input. The negative ionospheric storm phase over middle latitude, observed in equinox and not in winter, is also intensified with the increasing intensity of high latitude energy input.