Peruvian climate

Peru is located in the Southern hemisphere, its seasons are therefore the opposite of those in the northern hemisphere. The Peruvian summer stretches therefore from December to March, and its winter from June to September. But travelers must also keep in mind that the Peruvian climate is very diversified and tightly linked to the country’s geography. Therefore, seasons are almost switched between the coast, where December to March correspond to the sunny season, and the Andes, where these same months correspond to the rainy season.

On the coast, the climate is hot and sunny between December and March. The daily temperatures fluctuate between 77 and 86 ºF. The nights are pleasant with average temperatures of 68 ºF. The rest of the year, clouds, fog and humidity freshen up the atmosphere (between 60 and 71 ºF) on a coastal stretch of a few miles. Further up the coast (in Nasca or Ica for example), the sun is almost always present. The extreme northern part of Peru (Mancora) boasts a hot and sunny climate 300 days per year, with temperatures reaching 95 ºF in the summer (January/February).

In the Andes, the climate is all the more dry close to the Pacific Ocean, and becomes more and more humid as one gets closer to the Amazonian basin. Thus, Arequipa, at the crossroads between the coastal desert and the Andes, has a much drier climate than Puno and Cusco.

The humid season lasts from December to March, and translates into more frequent rainfall. But even during the rainy season, it rains less in Cusco than in London, for example. The temperatures are minimal in June and July, which also corresponds to the dry season. In Arequipa, temperatures fluctuate between 68 and 77 ºF, but can drop down to 40 ºF at night. In Cusco, the minimum nighttime temperatures can be as low as 32 ºF, whereas during the day the sun often comes out and temperatures can reach 68 ºF. In Puno, temperatures are quite similar. In the summer (December to March), the maximum daytime temperatures hardly change, but the nights are significantly warmer.

The Amazonian forest is characterized by a tropical climate, hot and humid all year. However, from April to October, the sun shines much more often and it rains much less. The rest of the year, tropical rainfall is a daily occurrence.

Daily temperatures are around the 86 ºF mark all year round, with a slight drop between May and August.