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The climate of Argentina
As to surface area Argentina is the second largest country in South
America. From the most northern part to the most southern part
Argentina covers an area of over 4,000 kilometers. From the eastern
part to the western part there is a difference in altitude of 7
kilometers. At 6,959 meters the Cerro Aconcagua mountain is the
highest spot in South America. Salinas Chicasin which is located in
the eastern part of Argentina is the lowest point in Argentina at
38.75 meters below sea level. Because of the large differences in
altitude, the variations in landscape and differences in location in
relation to the equator Argentina has several climate zones. The
largest part of Argentina has a relatively dry desert and steppe
climate; especially the Pampas which are situated centrally in
Argentina. The western part of the country is a mountainous area which
is part of the southern Andes. This gigantic mountain range extends
for 7,000 kilometers and runs parallel to the coast of the Pacific.
The Andes zones and Patagonia situated in the southern part of
Argentina both mainly have moderate Mediterranean and sea climates.
The high mountain summits have a high mountain climate. The highest
regions have everlasting snow and the south has an enormous permanent
ice cap: the Campo de Hielo Sur or Southern Patagonian Ice Field.
The eastern part of Argentina has a combination of several types of
climates. The largest part has a warm sea climate (type Cfa according
to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification). The area between
Buenos
Aires and Bahia Blanca has a moderate sea climate (type Cfb). The
northern part of Argentina has a subtropical character with a distinct
dry period during the local winter months and a wet period during the
summer (December till March).
Climate information of places and areas in Argentina
The climate information on this page is only brief. Specific
information about weather and climate can be found on the climate
pages per area or town. As for Argentina the following climate
information is available:
Reversed seasons
Because Argentina is located in the southern hemisphere the seasons
are reversed. When it’s winter here, it is summer in Argentina and the
other way round. The differences in temperature increase the further
south you travel. The northern part of the country has relatively
small differences between summer and winter. In the city of
Salta
which is located in the north western part of Argentina the maximum
average temperature only differs 9 degrees Celsius. The coldest month
with an average maximum temperature of 19 degrees Celsius is June.
November, December and January are only 9 degrees warmer; 28 degrees
Celsius. However, there is a distinct dry period (April till October)
and a distinct wet summer. In the rest of the country differences in
seasons are a little larger. Large differences occur especially where
the hours of daily sunshine are concerned.
Wind
There is no risk of hurricanes in Argentina. Hurricanes that do occur
in the Atlantic region usually move toward the tropic of Cancer.
However, the country has several other wind phenomena. The Vienta
Zonda (Zonda winds) is a warm wind that blows from the south. The
depressions that blow in a north easterly direction supply dry winds
with lots of dust. During the winter this phenomenon often causes
heavy snowfall; often in the form of drift-snow which can last for
hours. A Zonda wind usually starts during the afternoon (12pm-6pm) and
lasts for one to twelve hours on average. A Zonda may also refer to a
warm and humid wind that blows from the north over the pampas. This
warm wind is also referred to as Sondo.
Precipitation figures
TextThere are large differences in precipitation figures in Argentina.
The south western part and the western part of Argentina are very dry.
200-400 millimeters of rain per year on average. In the southern part
of Argentina and in the Andes a large part of the precipitation falls
in the form of snow. The Land of Fire/Tierra del Fuego which is
located in the most southern part of Argentina gets about 400-800
millimeters of precipitation per year. The most western part of
Patagonia also has a much wetter character. When you travel from
central Argentina toward the north east precipitation figures rapidly
increase. The subtropical north eastern part along the borders with
Paraguay and Brazil are much wetter than the rest of the country. This
area almost gets 2,000 millimeters of rain per year. The precipitation
figures in combination with higher temperatures are responsible for an
entirely different kind of landscape and vegetation here.
Not only do the amounts of precipitation differ a lot in Argentina.
The spread of monthly rainfall can be very different from one region
to the other as well. The capital of Buenos Aires gets a fairly equal
amount of rain per month. During the winter about 60-65 millimeters of
rain is recorded while the autumn (March and April) get about twice
that amount. The north western part of Argentina has a fiercer spread
of rain. Winters are almost entirely dry, the number of rainy days are
very slim. However, the summer gets a lot of rain. January and
February are the wettest months; they get about 150-200 millimeters of
rain per month. The dry regions in Argentina have an even spread of
rain. Depending on the region you are in this will be between 5-30
millimeters of rain per month.
Climate figures
Throughout Argentina several climate zones and temperatures can be
found. The data in the table below are an average for the capital of
Buenos Aires. Please visit the individual pages for climate
information on other places and regions in Argentina
More climate information
Climate tables are useful but they don’t give an overall picture of
the climate and possible weather conditions during a period of time.
How high the chances are of hot or cold weather or hurricanes can
often not be found in these tables. This is why we offer extra climate
information per month. The information below is an average for
Argentina.
Disclaimer
The information at this site was carefully composed from climate data collected by meteorological services, meteorological offices, climate experts and other sources. “More climate info” is based on statistics, climate data and personal experience. No rights can be derived from this site. Weather has no memory and gives no guaranties. Nothing is as changeable and unpredictable as the weather. The authors of this site feel in no way responsible for any damages caused by misinterpretation or other circumstances that may influence your holiday or trip to a certain destination. We provide information, it’s up to the reader to use it to it’s benefit.
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= 0-5 mm ●
= 6-30 mm ●
= 31-60 mm ●
= 61-100 mm ●
= 101-200 mm ●
=
over 200 mm
