By Jason Chavis
Chile Climate & Weather
Chile is a highly diverse nation in regards to its climate and weather. This is mostly due to its limited latitudinal area. Some areas of the country are dry desert, while others feature heavy tundra. Since Chile is located in the southern hemisphere, it experiences summer in December through February and winter from June to August. The major factors that control the climate of the country is its proximity to the Pacific Ocean and a pair of mountain ranges.
Alpine
In the Andes mountains, there are a wide range of climate changes and different types of weather. This is due to the various valleys and high mountain ranges. There are regions of extremely dry weather and also very wet areas that fluctuate heavily from freezing to very hot.
Atacama Desert
Chile's Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth outside of the Arctic. Moisture is blocked by the Andes and the Chilean Coast Range mountains. According to archeologists, it is believed that the region had no significant rainfall between the years of 1570 and 1971.
Central Chile
The climate and weather of Central Chile is representative of the Mediterranean region in Europe. Its highly moderate climate is mixed with varying rainfalls. During the summer months the temperatures average 67 degrees Fahrenheit with a half inch of rain. The winter is 45 degrees Fahrenheit with over ten inches of rain.
Zona Sur
The Zona Sur region is subject to very humid and foggy conditions due to its proximity to the coast. Summer temperatures average 62 degrees Fahrenheit and winter temperatures are usually 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Heavy rainfall is also a major characteristic.
Zona Austral
The southernmost region of the country, Zona Austral, is known for a very stable temperature that hovers just above freezing. In the summer months, cold rainfall is commonplace, while the winter features snow.
Resources
About the Author:
Jason lives and works out of Minneapolis. After 11 years of professional writing, he is the author of four books, two movies and a play as well as numerous articles for Scientific American, The History Channel, City Pages and The Onion. Jason is a graduate of the film school at USC.
Photo Credits:
Sarah and Iain
