Mar del Plata in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Mar del Plata sees average daytime highs around 23°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 222 mm of rain over about 24 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 20°C in early December to 23°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels dry.
Summer is Mar del Plata's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Mar del Plata's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 23°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 16°C
- Rainfall
- 222 mm
- 24 wet days
- Avg wind
- 20 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.3
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Mar del Plata in Summer
Over the season highs climb from about 20°C in early December to 23°C by late February.
A typical summer day in Mar del Plata reaches about 23°C and drops to 16°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is January, the coolest December.
Mar del Plata weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23° / 17° | 77 | 8.3 | 14.3 | 7.4 |
| Feb | 23° / 17° | 76 | 7.5 | 13.5 | 7.3 |
| Mar | 21° / 16° | 72 | 8.1 | 12.3 | 7.0 |
| Apr | 19° / 13° | 77 | 8.6 | 11 | 6.3 |
| May | 15° / 11° | 49 | 6.8 | 10 | 5.0 |
| Jun | 13° / 8° | 60 | 6.9 | 9.4 | 3.7 |
| Jul | 11° / 7° | 54 | 7 | 9.6 | 3.1 |
| Aug | 12° / 7° | 60 | 7 | 10.5 | 3.6 |
| Sep | 14° / 8° | 60 | 7.5 | 11.7 | 4.1 |
| Oct | 16° / 10° | 80 | 9 | 13 | 5.1 |
| Nov | 19° / 13° | 77 | 9.3 | 14.1 | 6.3 |
| Dec | 22° / 15° | 69 | 8 | 14.6 | 7.2 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Mar del Plata gets around 222 mm of rain over 24 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 20 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 14 h 24 min in early December to 13 hours by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 7.1 kWh/m².
Is summer a good time to visit Mar del Plata?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is one of the better times to visit Mar del Plata for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Mar del Plata in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Mar del Plata sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 16°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes, rain gear and a windbreaker. About 24 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Mar del Plata in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 19°C across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 15 km away) is warmest in February at about 20°C and coldest in August near 10°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Jan 29 to Mar 10 — about 1.3 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 20 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 |
| Comfort | Cool | Refreshing | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20 | Cool |
| Feb | 20 | Refreshing |
| Mar | 20 | Cool |
| Apr | 18 | Cool |
| May | 15 | Cool |
| Jun | 13 | Bracing |
| Jul | 11 | Bracing |
| Aug | 10 | Bracing |
| Sep | 11 | Bracing |
| Oct | 13 | Bracing |
| Nov | 15 | Bracing |
| Dec | 17 | Cool |
UV index in Mar del Plata in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mar del Plata peaks around December 22 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 2 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 12 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Low | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Extreme |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 8 | Very high |
| Apr | 5 | High |
| May | 3 | Moderate |
| Jun | 2 | Low |
| Jul | 2 | Moderate |
| Aug | 3 | Moderate |
| Sep | 5 | Moderate |
| Oct | 7 | Very high |
| Nov | 10 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Where is Mar del Plata?
Mar del Plata sits at 38.0°S, 57.6°W, 14 m above sea level, in Argentina. The nearest listed city is Santa Clara del Mar, 19 km away.
Topography around Mar del Plata
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mar del Plata.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mar del Plata has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 51 m around an average of 17 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 125 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 386 m.
The land around Mar del Plata is covered by artificial surfaces (70%) within 3 km, water (45%) and cropland (23%) within 16 km, and water (35%), cropland (31%) and grassland (30%) within 80 km.
Argentina travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type C / I
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 46% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $14,898
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.4 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 4.5
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 14.1
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- High
- EF EPI 575
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Mar del Plata (-38.0004°, -57.5562°, elevation 14 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.