Climate - Uruguay

Index

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• Introduction - Montevideo, Artigas
• Best Time
• What to pack

Introduction

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In Uruguay, a South American country bordering Brazil and Argentina, the climate is subtropical, with mild winters (from June to August) and hot summers (from December to March), and it is also quite rainy throughout the year.
In most of the country, the average temperatures are similar to those of the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, while in the far north, they are a little higher. However, in Uruguay, in comparison with the Mediterranean climate, even summer is rainy, although this happens because of thunderstorms, which do not reduce by much the sunshine hours. In addition, clashes between air masses and temperature variations in Uruguay are stronger than in the more sheltered Mediterranean Sea, so much so that sometimes it can get either very cool in summer or hot in winter.

Annual precipitation hovers around 1,000/1,100 millimeters (40/43 inches) in the south (see Montevideo), while it's higher in the center and north, where it's around 1,200/1,400 mm (47/55 in), but in the far north, it reaches as high as 1,600 mm (63 in).

Winter in Uruguay is mild, but it can be windy and unstable, especially in the south. In addition, outbreaks of cold air, brought by the wind called Pampero, can occur throughout the country, from May to September, with possible slight frosts at night. In the central-southern cities located at some distance from the coast (see Durazno, Mercedes), the cold records are around -7/-8 °C (17.5/19.5 °F).
Snow in Uruguay is extremely rare, at least in the plains. Sometimes it can snow in the two hilly areas located in the south of the country, and where the altitude reaches 500 meters (1,650 feet), the Sierra Carapé (where the Cerro Catedral is located) and the Sierra de las Ánimas. On the plains, however, it practically never snows, although occasionally a bit of sleet can occur in the south of the country.

Summer is hot and sunny, though thunderstorms can break out in the afternoon, more likely in the north. Heat waves are possible, with peaks of 38/40 °C (100/104 °F), from December to March in the center and south, and also in November in the north. The area most exposed to the heat is the western one (see Artigas, Salto, Paysandu, Mercedes), where the heat records are of 41/41.5 °C (106/106.5 °F).

Spring and autumn are mild, but the weather is often unstable.

Montevideo

In the capital, Montevideo, the average temperature ranges from 10.5 °C (51 °F) in July to 23.3 °C (74 °F) in January. In summer, the heat is tempered by sea breezes (more than in Buenos Aires, which is located on the other side of the Rio de la Plata, but towards the interior). Here are the average temperatures.

Here is the average precipitation in Montevideo: as you can see, rainfall is fairly constant throughout the year, though there are two relative maxima in late summer (February-March) and spring (October).

The amount of sunshine is good from November to February, while in winter, there are periods of bad weather, when the sky is cloudy, alternating with sunny days. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.



The Atlantic Ocean is a bit cool to swim in, but overall acceptable, from January to March: near Punta del Este, it reaches 22/23 °C (72/73 °F) from January to March.

Artigas

In the far north, the climate is warmer: in Artigas, the average temperatures in July doesn't go below 13.5 °C (56 °F), while in January, it reaches 26 °C (78.5 °F).

In Artigas, rainfall is abundant and amounts to 1,400 mm (56 in) per year; the least rainy season is winter, from June to August.

Best Time

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In Uruguay, the sunniest season is summer (which runs from November to March in the north and from December to February in the south), but it can be hot and has the risk of afternoon thunderstorms. Winter is mild, but it can sometimes be unstable, rainy and windy, especially in the south, and sometimes even cold. Therefore, the intermediate seasons are preferable: autumn (March-April in the south and April-May in the north) and spring (October-November in the south and September-October in the north). If you do not suffer from the heat, you want more sunshine and maybe you want to spend some time at the beach, you can choose the summer.
For a beach holiday, summer is clearly the best period, especially in January and February.

What to pack

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In winter (June to August): pack clothes for spring and autumn, a sweater, a warm jacket, and a raincoat.
In summer (December to March): pack light clothing, a sweatshirt for the evening, and an umbrella or a light raincoat.

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