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CLIMATE

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. 

This is the place where most of the population settlements, among them Punta Arenas, where the average rainfall registers 425 millimeters annual, mostly in spring-summer and in winter as snow. This is an area of constant wind, more intense at spring-summer, time at which it reaches an average speed of 30 to 40 kilometers per hour, diminishing almost at all in winter. 

The average temperatures by season in Punta Arenas, sited in the geographical center of continental area are:

  Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Average
6,9 °C
10,6 °C
6,8 °C
2,0 °C
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

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. 

A 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.

  
 



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