Peru - Climate

Each of Peru's geographical zones has its own climate. On the coast, summer is December-April, when temperatures range from 25° to 35°C and it is hot and dry. Wintertime is May-November, the temperature drops a bit and it is cloudy. The only thing predictable about Peru's weather is its unpredictability. In fact, it's not uncommon to experience all four seasons in a single day. Generally speaking, Peru has two seasons, wet and dry, but in a country as geographically diverse as Peru, local weather patterns vary greatly.

The Coastal Climate (Lima): is determined by the cold sea-water adjoining deserts. Prevailing inshore winds can pick up so little moisture over the cold Humboldt current, which flows from Antarctica, that only from May to November does it condense. The resultant blanket of cloud and sea-mist (called Garúa) extends from the S to about 200 km N of Lima.

In the Sierra (Cusco-Machu Picchu): from April to October is the dry season. It is hot and dry during the day, around 20°-25°C, and cold and dry at night, often below freezing. From November to April is the wet season, when it is dry and clear most mornings, with some rainfall in the afternoon. There is a small temperature drop (18°C) and not much difference at night (15°C). In the highlands, the dry season is between June and October, but even the mountains' wet season isn't always really wet, and the dry season sees its share of downpours. Temperatures during the day in the dry season can get hot making shorts rather inviting. At night, temperatures can drop quickly and a warm sweater makes walking around the plazas comfortable.

The Jungle (Manu Forest): April-October is dry season, with temperatures up to 35°C. In the jungle areas of the south, a cold front can pass through at night. November-April is the wet season. It is humid and hot, with heavy rainfall all the time. The Amazon experiences, rain heat and more rain and heat! The average daytime temperature is 30-32º C (85-90º F), while nights can cool down to 20º C (68º F). They do have a wet and wetter season with the wet (dry) season corresponding with the dry season in the highlands. The desert coast is arid. From January to March the sky is clear and the air tends to be hot and sticky. Peruvians go to the beach at this time. The rest of the year the gray coastal mist known as guara moves in and the sun is rarely seen.