Chile Climate

Chile’s Climatic Regions

Chile offers a wide range of climate, which can be divided into three major climatic regions: arid in the north, humid in the south and temperate in the valley. Overall, the country enjoys a rather comfortable, temperate climate besides the obviously extreme climatic conditions of the Andes and the Atacama. The climate varies depending on the part of the country you visit and is therefore difficult to generalize. However, it can be compared to a Mediterranean climate in the central area, with increasing temperature brackets on the outermost regions. The farther north you travel, the hotter and drier the climate, whereas you’ll experience a cooler, wetter climate as you head farther south.

Chile Trips for Any Season

No matter what season you seek to travel in Chile, AdventureSmith Explorations has an extensive, curated collection of Chile small ship cruises and active land trips to choose from. Learn more about our Chile trips, or go direct to our Trip Finder to search by location and your travel dates.

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Four Distinct Seasons

Chile differs from most South American countries in the sense that it experiences four distinct seasons: winter (June-August), spring (September-November), summer (December-February) and autumn (March-May). The seasons fall at opposite times from the United States because the country lies deep in the southern hemisphere. Rainfall tends to be restricted to the winter months in the north, and stays somewhat consistent throughout the year with periods of heavy precipitation in the south-central areas.

Santiago Weather

Santiago, home to 80 percent of Chile’s population, is said to behold the most ideal climate. Thanks to well-defined seasons, Santiago residents get to experience hot summers, short temperate winters and a fall and spring that each brings pleasantly cool breezes. It does occasionally snow in Santiago and other parts of central Chile, but the snow usually melts quickly except in the higher mountains.