Climate in Chile (when to go?)

Chile has many distinct climatic zones, with extremely dry areas in the North and fresh and humid areas in the South.

Chile is in the southern hemisphere. Seasons are opposite to those in the Northern hemisphere. January and February are the two months of summer and school vacation.

Chile has very diverse and contrasting climates. In the South, temperatures drop very low during winter. In the North, the climate is constant during the whole year and therefore great for travelling. In the Central region, the climate is Mediterranean-like and enjoys mild winters and warm and dry summers.

Surprisingly, Chile has moderate climates from the North to the South, in spite of its large surface. There isn’t one place where the temperatures are excessive; the sea acts as both a stabilizer and a purifier.

In the extreme North of Chile it does not rain at all. This desert area therefore has no vegetation except in the oases or land faults and in the high valleys of the Andes where meagre pastures feed chinchillas, lamas and their cousins guanacos and alpacas. In transverse valleys, from those of Copiapo to those of Aconcagua, with a little winter rain they give the impression of a grassy steppe. The warm months are from December to February, the coldest from June to August. The mountains enjoy warm and sunny weather all year, nights are refreshing and the temperature will vary according to the altitude.

Finally, the weather in Patagonia is not as harsh as we would imagine. However, the winds can often be violent.