Chile Weather

What is the Weather Like in Chile?

The long, slender strip that is Chile stretches some 2,700 miles from end to end, roughly the distance from New York to San Francisco. Along the way, it encompasses all manner of climate, from the world’s driest desert in the north to the freezing winds and driving rains of the far south. This means that while you can visit Chile’s varied geography year round, planning your trip carefully will help you get the most out of the region you’ll be staying in.

As the most famous of Chile’s geographic features, the great Atacama Desert in the north is the driest place on earth; there are parts of it where it hasn’t rained for 200 years. Surprisingly, it’s much cooler than other deserts its size: average daytime temperature is around 75, and nights can dip to the low 30’s. The skies are generally very clear, though sudden sandstorms can make driving dangerous at times. When you visit, be sure to bring warm clothing, protective eyewear, and plenty of sunscreen.

By contrast, Chile’s transitional zone, also known as the Central Valley, is verdant and temperate, making it feel like a landscape transplanted from Italy or Greece. During summer (December to February) temperatures can get warmish, sometimes reaching 90-plus degrees, but even during these months the nights are cool. If you’re heading to Santiago, summer is the best time to go, offering pleasant days, little rain, and lower hotel prices as the city’s residents head out of town for the holidays.

Further south, the rainfall increases in the Lake District as cool winds come in off the lakes and mountains, causing the temperature to hover between 45 and 65 most of the year. Overcast days and sudden storms are common, even during the warmer summer months. Bring your umbrella: winter months can be positively sodden.

Finally, in the extreme southern region of Magellanes, fierce winds whip though the glacial landscape during the summer, at times reaching speeds of 75 miles per hour. Winters are calmer but much colder, with frequent snowfall causing the landscape to resemble that of a Norwegian village. Here layered clothing and weatherproof outerwear are a must.

Chile Weather by Month

Average monthly temperatures (°F) and rainfall (inches) for select locations in Chile are shown below.

Antofagasta

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	73	74	72	69	65	63	62	62	63	65	67	71
Low	64	64	62	59	56	54	53	54	55	57	59	62
Rain	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Easter Island

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	78	79	78	76	73	70	69	68	70	71	73	76
Low	70	71	70	68	66	64	62	62	62	62	65	67
Rain	4	3	3	5	5	4	4	3	3	3	3	4

Iquique

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	75	77	75	72	68	64	63	62	64	67	70	73
Low	66	66	65	62	58	57	55	56	57	59	61	63
Rain	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Puerto Montt

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	67	66	63	58	54	50	50	51	54	57	60	65
Low	49	49	47	44	43	39	39	39	40	42	44	48
Rain	4	4	5	7	10	9	10	9	6	5	5	5

Punta Arenas

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	57	57	54	49	44	39	38	41	46	50	53	56
Low	45	45	42	38	35	32	31	32	35	38	40	43
Rain	1	1	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1

Santiago

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	85	84	80	72	64	58	57	61	65	71	77	82
Low	54	53	49	45	41	38	37	39	42	45	48	51
Rain	0	0	0	1	2	3	3	2	1	1	0	0

Valparaiso

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	72	72	70	67	63	60	60	61	62	65	69	71
Low	56	56	54	52	50	48	47	47	48	50	52	54
Rain	0	0	0	1	4	6	4	3	1	0	0	0

Source: Weatherbase.

Chile Weather

What is the Weather Like in Chile?

Chile Weather by Month

Antofagasta

Easter Island

Iquique

Puerto Montt

Punta Arenas

Santiago

Valparaiso

Chile Travel Guide

Top Chile Travel Destinations

Other Chile Tours

Chile Tours by Duration

Patagonia Cruise Ships

Patagonia Cruises by Duration

Weather for Other South American Countries

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