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An unpredictable Weather
We can say weather in Patagonia is really, but really unpredictable. Anyway, we can say there are several types of weather, Channels Weather, of high humidity, with precipitations over 1000 milimeters a year (Evangelista 8.000mm); Steppe, very dry with precipitations under 300 milimeters; and Tempered Cold with a transition between 1º and 2º, typical of Punta Arenas, with about 450 annual milimeters, with average temperatures of 9º, arising exceptionally to 20ºC every several years.
Longer Days
Patagonia summer offers warm, sunny days and cool nights. Patagonia days are long, the sun rises at about 4:30 a.m. and sets near 10:30 p.m. Typically temperatures are around 20ºC during the day, dropping to about 8 ºC at night. Higher elevations will be experience a slightly cooler climate, and frosts have been know to occur at night, even during the summer. During April, daytime temperatures are usually in the 15 ºC, and drop to the 2ºC at night. Because of its great area, there are important climatic variations at the Region, influenced mostly by the relief, the sea and the winds. In the eastern slope of Patagonian mountain range there is a cold steppe climate that prevails in the central continental area.
Punta Arenas
Let us take Punta Arenas, where the average rainfall registers 425 millimeters annual, mostly in spring-summer and in winter as snow. This is an area of wind, more intense at spring-summer, time at which it reaches an average speed of 30 to 40 kilometers per hour, fading almost at all in winter.
|
Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
Winter |
| Maximum Average |
11,2 °C |
15,3 °C |
10,0 °C |
5,8 °C |
| Minimum Average |
2,5 °C |
5,5 °C |
2,3 °C |
1,3 °C |
| Maximum Record |
19 °C |
30 °C |
21 ºC |
13 °C |
| Minimum Record |
-4 °C |
-3 °C |
-9 °C |
-9 °C |
Torres del Paine
In the tourist area of Torres del Paine National Park there is a mild climate; besides there is a microclimate area in Laguna Azul area, with a considerable increase of temperature in summer (25 to 30 degrees Celsius). In mountain chains there is an ice climate while in the Pacific coast area and channels there is a cold temperate climate, with great humidity.
An special feature of southern climate is the amount of solar light hours, which are less in winter and extended at summer reaching as far as 18 hours, approximately, in December.
The Williwaw
A typical thing of Southern Patagonia weather is that strong winds sometimes appear out of anything. Yamanas aborigens called it 'willywaw', a ferocious wind whirlwind that lowers from mountains, generated by the steep changes of pressure between the ices and the sea.
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