Iquique in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Iquique sees average daytime highs around 21°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 3 mm of rain over about 1 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 19°C in early December to 22°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels humid.
Summer is Iquique's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Iquique has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Iquique's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 21°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 19°C
- Rainfall
- 3 mm
- 1 wet days
- Avg wind
- 12 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.0
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Iquique in Summer
Over the season highs climb from about 19°C in early December to 22°C by late February.
A typical summer day in Iquique reaches about 21°C and drops to 19°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Iquique 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 | 22° / 20° | 1 | 0.2 | 13.1 | 8.1 |
| Feb | 22° / 20° | 2 | 0.5 | 12.7 | 8.3 |
| Mar | 21° / 19° | 0 | 0.1 | 12.1 | 8.3 |
| Apr | 20° / 17° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.6 | 7.8 |
| May | 19° / 16° | 8 | 2.3 | 11.1 | 7.1 |
| Jun | 18° / 15° | 16 | 6.6 | 10.8 | 5.9 |
| Jul | 17° / 14° | 16 | 6 | 10.9 | 5.6 |
| Aug | 16° / 14° | 10 | 3.4 | 11.3 | 5.8 |
| Sep | 17° / 14° | 6 | 1.3 | 11.9 | 6.2 |
| Oct | 17° / 15° | 3 | 0.2 | 12.5 | 6.7 |
| Nov | 19° / 16° | 2 | 0.3 | 13 | 7.3 |
| Dec | 20° / 18° | 1 | 0.1 | 13.2 | 7.7 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Iquique gets around 3 mm of rain over 1 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 12 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 h 06 min in early December to 12 h 30 min 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 8.0 kWh/m².
Is summer a good time to visit Iquique?
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 Iquique for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Iquique in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Iquique sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 19°C. Pack sun protection.
Sea temperature near Iquique in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 21°C across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in January at about 22°C and coldest in August near 17°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Dec 6 to Apr 10 — about 4.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 22 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Comfort | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22 | Refreshing |
| Feb | 22 | Refreshing |
| Mar | 21 | Refreshing |
| Apr | 20 | Cool |
| May | 19 | Cool |
| Jun | 18 | Cool |
| Jul | 17 | Cool |
| Aug | 17 | Cool |
| Sep | 17 | Cool |
| Oct | 18 | Cool |
| Nov | 19 | Cool |
| Dec | 20 | Refreshing |
UV index in Iquique in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Iquique peaks around January 23 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 11 at about 7 (high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 16 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 10 | Extreme |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 7 | High |
| Jul | 7 | High |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 15 | Extreme |
Where is Iquique?
Iquique sits at 20.2°S, 70.2°W, 15 m above sea level, in Chile. The nearest listed city is Alto Hospicio, 8.0 km away.
Topography around Iquique
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Iquique.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Iquique has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 642 m around an average of 37 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,366 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,271 m.
The land around Iquique is covered by water (56%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 3 km, water (54%) and bare terrain (43%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (65%) and water (33%) within 80 km.
Chile travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / F / L
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 48% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $17,995
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.3 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 98%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 6.3
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 14.9
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- English
- Moderate
- EF EPI 517
- 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 Iquique (-20.2133°, -70.1503°, elevation 15 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.