The weather in El Chaltén
Intense sunshine, a gentle breeze, strong winds, intermittent rains or even surprising snowstorms in summer ... sometimes all this can happen in the same day. The Patagonian climate is famous for its temperament and it is an inseparable part of your adventure in El Chaltén.
RIGHT NOW IN EL CHALTÉN
The Wind right now
Get ready for the Patagonian climate
The wind is an inevitable companion especially between October and March ... but it can be present at any month of the year.
You should know that in the austral summer - from December 21 to March 20 - days without wind are rare.
Abrupt changes in temperature and the sudden appearance of dense clouds, heavy rains and even snowfalls, all on the same day that dawned sunny and cloudless on the horizon (and its inverse situation) is
a feature that can take you by surprise when you walk through the trails. For this reason you should always bring with you warm and waterproof clothes even if it is sunny.
Consider also the solar radiation, which in these southern latitudes is considerably high and it is very significant even on cloudy days.
Always wear a sun hat, sunscreen for your skin and sunglasses with uv protection.
Although the climate in these latitudes is well known for its strong nature, sunny days with clear skies and without wind are more frequent than its fame suggests.
The word that summarize the weather in El Chaltén is "unpredictable".
Temperature
In the graph bellow you can see that in the months of greater affluence of tourists from October to April temperatures are mild, and in both months of high season, January and February,
you can expect rather hot days; but do not take your warm clothes off because at night it can easily lower the temperature to 5°C (41°F) or less.
Note that meteorological registries showed here were taken at ground level of El Chaltén, and as you go near valleys towards the West -to the mass of the South Ice Field- and win in height, the conditions are more and more humid and cold. In cold days it is possible that snow fall in the base campsites located at the foot of the hills while in El Chaltén only drizzles.
The average temperatures for January and February are::
• minimum: 7.5°C (45.5°F)
• medium: 13.3°C (56°F)
• maximum: 19°C (66.2°F)
If we took the meteorological records of the last 15 years, we would observe great fluctuations between maximum and minimum absolute temperatures and their occurrences at the time of the year.
Thus we had 19,0°C (66.2°F) of maximum temperature in February 1993, and an historical record of 31,6°C (50.66°F) in February 2003. Or -5,5°C (°F) of minimum temperature in July 2003 and a historical record of -20,0°C (-4°F) in July 2001.
Throughout the year, minimum and maximum average temperatures fluctuate considerably:
Maximum temperature:
• lower register: 1.83°C (35.29°F)
• higher record: 23.40°C (74.12°F)
Minimum temperature:
• lower register: -8.37°C (16.93°F)
• higher record: 10.37°C (50.66°F)
NOTE: All the information of the climate records of the last years have been supplied by the Lago Viedma Section of the Los Glaciares National Park.