Bolivia Climate

Climate of Bolivia

The climate in Bolivia varies greatly due to the terrain, altitude, the activity of the trade winds and the Arctic southerly winds ("Surazos") that lower the temperature. All these factors mean that we can distinguish several climate zones, as well as dry and rainy seasons. The dry season occurs from May to October, while the rainy season occurs from November to April.

Upland-mountainous areas (Bolivian Andes, Altiplano plateau) located in the western part of the country are characterized by a tropical mountain climate with climatic stacking. It manifests itself in a decrease in temperatures as altitude increases, averaging one degree for every 150 meters. Annual precipitation in this region ranges from 150 mm to 500 mm. The Altiplano area is characterized by large diurnal temperature differences, with warm weather during the day, around 15°C - 25°C, while nights can experience frost as low as -10°C. The highest parts of the mountains are characterized by negative temperatures throughout the year. Snowfall occurs from 2000 m above sea level. Above 5500 m above sea level, the climate is polar and glaciers are present. The highest mountain peaks take the form of snow deserts characterized by strong winds.

The central valleys (Cochabamba area, Chuquisaca and Tarija departments) have a cool tropical climate. During the day, temperatures are pleasant, around 17°C - 23°C, but at night they drop a few degrees. Despite its high altitudes (average of 1,200m - 1,500m above sea level), the region is quite humid, making it extremely fertile and covered with dense forest.

The Yungas region is a transition zone between the Andean highlands and the eastern forest areas. It is characterized by a sub-equatorial climate. Given its altitude, it is surprisingly warm, with temperatures here reaching 22°C. It is the most cloudy, rainy and humid region of all in Bolivia. Annual rainfall here ranges from 2,000 mm to 3,000 mm.

The lowland areas (Bolivian Plain, Beni and Santa Cruz, Tarija) have a warm and humid sub-equatorial climate, with annual rainfall of about 1500 mm - 2000 mm. The average temperature throughout the year is 26°C. Short-lived but not very intense downpours and thunderstorms are common.

In the south of the country, in the Gran Chaco region, the climate is subtropical dry. In January, north winds bring precipitation and humidity. The remaining months tend to be dry, with hot days and cool nights. The highest air temperature in Bolivia was 46.7 degrees Celsius, recorded just in the Chaco area.