, with winters (June to September) characterized by fairly cool temperatures, cloudy skies, fogs and mists, and summers (December to March) warm and sunny.
The city is located in the far north of Chile, at 18 degrees south latitude, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, and near the border with Peru.
In winter, water droplets caused by fog can settle on the ground, but actual rain hardly ever occurs. In fact, Arica is one of the driest places on Earth.
, which inhibits the formation of upward air currents that could generate rain clouds.
The sea current also makes the climate particularly mild, in fact the temperature almost never reaches 30 °C (86 °F).
, when the temperature of the sea increases, it get a little warmer. In February and March 1983, the average maximum was 30 °C (86 °F), and in Mars the temperature reached 33 °C (91.5 °F).
to visit Arica is summer, from December to March, as it is the warmest and sunniest season. The sea is not very warm, but it is warm enough for swimming, especially from January to March.
Considering that it never rains and the temperatures are mild, you can also go in winter, from June to September, but the sun doesn't shine very often and the air is humid.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
22,9 °C, with a minimum of
19,9 °C and a maximum of
25,8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
18 °C. However, it dropped to
14,5 °C in January 2002.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
27,5 °C. However, it reached
30,2 °C in January 1998.
Precipitation amounts to only
0,3 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 5 minutes.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 60% of the time.
The average humidity is 66%.
The average wind speed is of
11,1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
23,7 °C. Therefore, the sea can be considered barely acceptable for swimming.
February, the warmest month of the year, is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
23,2 °C, with a minimum of
20,1 °C and a maximum of
26,3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
19 °C. However, it dropped to
16 °C in February 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
28,5 °C. However, it reached
30 °C in February 2017.
Precipitation amounts to only
0,2 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 40 minutes.
There are on average 8,5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 68% of the time.
The average humidity is 66%.
The average wind speed is of
10,7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
24,1 °C. Therefore, the sea is warm enough for swimming.
March is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
22,4 °C, with a minimum of
19,2 °C and a maximum of
25,6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
17,5 °C. However, it dropped to
14,4 °C in March 2000.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
27,5 °C. However, it reached
29,7 °C in March 2016.
Precipitation amounts to only
0,3 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 67% of the time.
The average humidity is 67%.
The average wind speed is of
10,4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
23,4 °C. Therefore, the sea can be considered barely acceptable for swimming.
April is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
20,5 °C, with a minimum of
17,4 °C and a maximum of
23,6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
15 °C. However, it dropped to
12,1 °C in April 2008.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
25,5 °C. However, it reached
29 °C in April 1993.
Precipitation amounts to only
0 mm, so on average it never rains in the whole month.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 7,5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 63% of the time.
The average humidity is 69%.
The average wind speed is of
9,8 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
21,9 °C. Therefore, the sea is cool for swimming.
May is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
18,8 °C, with a minimum of
16 °C and a maximum of
21,5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
12,5 °C. However, it dropped to
9,6 °C in May 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
24 °C. However, it reached
30 °C in May 2001.
Precipitation amounts to only
0,1 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 53% of the time.
The average humidity is 70%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
9,3 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
20,3 °C. Therefore, the sea is cool for swimming.
June is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
17,4 °C, with a minimum of
15,2 °C and a maximum of
19,6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
12 °C. However, it dropped to
8,3 °C in June 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
21 °C. However, it reached
24,7 °C in June 2016.
Precipitation amounts to only
0,2 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 0 minutes. June 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
There are on average 4,5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 40% of the time.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
8,8 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
18,9 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cool for swimming.
July, the coldest month of the year, is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
16,5 °C, with a minimum of
14,5 °C and a maximum of
18,4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
11 °C. However, it dropped to
6,6 °C in July 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
19,5 °C. However, it reached
27,9 °C in July 2016.
Precipitation amounts to only
0,4 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 36% of the time.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
8,7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
17,7 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
August is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
16,5 °C, with a minimum of
14,7 °C and a maximum of
18,3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
11 °C. However, it dropped to
8,4 °C in August 1991.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
20 °C. However, it reached
24,2 °C in August 1997.
Precipitation amounts to only
0,1 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 30 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 35% of the time.
The average humidity is 73%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
9,6 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
17,2 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
September is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
17,1 °C, with a minimum of
15,2 °C and a maximum of
18,9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
12,5 °C. However, it dropped to
8 °C in September 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
20,5 °C. However, it reached
23,2 °C in September 1997.
Precipitation amounts to only
0,1 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 4,5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 39% of the time.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10,7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
17,5 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
October is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
18,2 °C, with a minimum of
16,1 °C and a maximum of
20,4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
12,5 °C. However, it dropped to
9,2 °C in October 1999.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
22 °C. However, it reached
25 °C in October 1997.
Precipitation amounts to only
0 mm, so on average it never rains in the whole month.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 30 minutes.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 49% of the time.
The average humidity is 70%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
11,4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
18,7 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cool for swimming.
November is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
19,6 °C, with a minimum of
17,1 °C and a maximum of
22,1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
14 °C. However, it dropped to
11,4 °C in November 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
23,5 °C. However, it reached
25,1 °C in November 1992.
Precipitation amounts to only
0 mm, so on average it never rains in the whole month.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 7,5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 57% of the time.
The average humidity is 68%.
The average wind speed is of
11,9 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
20,3 °C. Therefore, the sea is cool for swimming.
December is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
21,2 °C, with a minimum of
18,4 °C and a maximum of
24 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
15,5 °C. However, it dropped to
12,8 °C in December 1994.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
25,5 °C. However, it reached
27,3 °C in December 2013.
Precipitation amounts to only
0,1 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 10 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 7,5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 59% of the time.
The average humidity is 66%.
The average wind speed is of
11,4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
22,1 °C. Therefore, the sea is cool for swimming.