Santiago in Summer

In summer (December, January and February), Santiago sees average daytime highs around 14°C and overnight lows near 6°C, with 640 mm of precipitation over about 82 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.

Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 14°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 0% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels dry.

Summer is Santiago's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Santiago's year-round climate.

Avg daytime high
14°C
2nd-warmest season
Avg overnight low
6°C
Precipitation
640 mm
82 wet days
Avg wind
3 km/h
Travel score
2.3
weakest season of the year
Months
Dec · Jan · Feb

Temperature in Santiago in Summer

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 14°C.

A typical summer day in Santiago reaches about 14°C and drops to 6°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.

10°15°20°DecJanFeb

Santiago 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.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan14° / 22928.80.712.72.3
Feb14° / 21426.10.312.52.2
Mar14° / 17027.40.312.12.4
Apr14° / 7618.6011.73.2
May14° / 248.1011.44.5
Jun14° / 123.30.111.24.9
Jul14° / 113.10.111.35.0
Aug15° / 226.50.511.64.9
Sep15° / 3713.1011.94.3
Oct16° / 8420.30.112.33.5
Nov16° / 11622.80.312.63.1
Dec15° / 19727.50.512.82.5

Cloud cover in Summer

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 0% of the time across summer.

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Chance of precipitation in Summer

Any precipitationSnow

Santiago gets around 640 mm of rain and snow over 82 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

0%20%40%60%80%100%DecJanFeb

Humidity in Summer

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of summer feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Wind in Summer

Winds average 3 km/h across summer.

0246810DecJanFeb

Sunrise & sunset in Summer

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min in early December to 12 h 18 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AMDecJanFeb

Solar energy in Summer

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.3 kWh/m².

0246DecJanFeb
Planning a trip in summer

Hazard calendar for Santiago

In seasonPeak

In summer, Santiago overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Santiago's monsoon runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is summer a good time to visit Santiago?

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.

2.3
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
Beach & pool
never really warm enough

summer is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Santiago.

What to pack for Santiago in Summer

From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In summer, Santiago sees daytime highs around 14°C and nights near 6°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: a warm layer and sun protection. About 82 days see rain.

rain geara warm layersun protection

UV index in Santiago in Summer

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 18 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Santiago peaks around February 10 at about 19 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 10 (extreme).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeFeb 10UV 19Jun 23UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan19Extreme
Feb19Extreme
Mar17Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct16Extreme
Nov17Extreme
Dec16Extreme

Air quality in Santiago in Summer

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Santiago is worst in September — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.7× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1315 µg/m³Jan 116 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar8Good
Apr8Good
May8Good
Jun8Good
Jul8Good
Aug13Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov8Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Santiago?

Santiago sits at 13.5°S, 72.0°W, 3,420 m above sea level, in Peru. The nearest listed city is Cusco, 2.0 km away.

Sicuani

Topography around Santiago

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Santiago.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Santiago has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 647 m around an average of 3,548 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,570 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,458 m.

The land around Santiago is covered by artificial surfaces (51%) and grassland (30%) within 3 km, grassland (73%) within 16 km, and grassland (77%) within 80 km.

3 km
647 m
16 km
1,570 m
80 km
5,458 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
Summer weather nearby: Cusco 2.0 km · Wanchaq 2.0 km · Aguas Calientes 71 km · Machu Picchu 72 km · Abancay 98 km · Quillabamba 106 km · Santa Ana 108 km · Sicuani 116 km

Peru travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B / C
220 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 51% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$9,684
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
49%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
8.6
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
13.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 519
Religion
Catholic 76%Evangelical Christian 16%no religion 5%other religions 3%

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 Santiago (-13.5273°, -71.9843°, elevation 3,420 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.