Peruvian Climate
Peru is located in the tropics near the equator, Peru's weather is not what you'd expect. On Earth you can find a total of 32 kinds of climate and Peru has 28 of them. On a trip through Peru you might find hot deserts, dry forests, humid savannas, plain rainforests, cold plateaus, cool steppes and icy mountains. It's tough to pack!
Generally speaking, the climate varies from region to region in Peru:
- In the Coast, the weather varies, with a damp and cloudy winter that runs from June to September. Average temperatures come in at 14°C. During the summer, temperatures can peak at 28°C or over.
- In the Highlands, the sun shines all year round during the morning, but temperatures descend at night. April to October is the dry season in the Andes - means 20-25°C in the day and cold at night, sometimes below freezing. The rest of the year rain and a slight temperature drop.
- The climate in the Amazon jungle is tropical all year round. The dry season takes from April to October with temperatures up to 35°C. During the rainy season (December through April) there is heavy rainfall and high humidity.
Average temperature in summertime (from mid-December to mid-March) is 25 - 28°C. Winter, which usually features overcast skies and high humidity, has temperatures ranging from 10 to 16°C.
Required clothing
Lightweight cottons and linens with waterproofing for the summer season. Warm clothing is needed in the Highlands during winter time. Specialist clothing is needed for the Amazon region. The sunlight is extremely bright and sunglasses are recommended.
General Information: El Niño
Every few years, the weather in Peru is heavily influenced by El Niño, a warm current from the central Pacific. El Niño has a worldwide impact, and changes the entire climate, from Brazil to Australia, from Africa to Canada. El Niño is concentrated along the coast of Peru and Ecuador. It is the strongest climatical phenomenon on earth.
El Niño appeared again in 1998 as one of the most severe ever, causing floodings over Peru's deserts and extreme draught over Australia and Southeast Asia. In the northern desert district of Piura, a lake was born as a result of the immenserainfall. This lake was even bigger than Lago Junín, Peru's second largest lake, but of course it was only temporary. El Niño means little child, and is named after the Christmas Child, as it appears usually around Christmas time.
