Climatology
This page presents Peru's climate context for the current climatology, 1991-2020, derived from observed, historical data. Information should be used to build a strong understanding of current climate conditions in order to appreciate future climate scenarios and projected change. You can visualize data for the current climatology through spatial variation, the seasonal cycle, or as a time series. Analysis is available for both annual and seasonal data. Data presentation defaults to national-scale aggregation, however sub-national data aggregations can be accessed by clicking within a country, on a sub-national unit. Other historical climatologies can be selected from the Time Period dropdown list.
Observed, historical data is produced by the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) of University of East Anglia. Data is presented at a 0.5º x 0.5º (50km x 50km) resolution.
Peru is a diverse country defined by the Andean mountain range, which runs north-south, dividing the country into three broad climatic regions: the Coast, the Andean Highlands, and the Eastern lowlands and Amazon rainforest. The Coast experiences a semi-arid, subtropical desert climate with average annual rainfall of 150 mm. Along the southern and central coast, temperatures vary from 13˚–26˚C, with colder months in May and October. The north has a more semi-tropical climate and temperatures average 24˚C. In the Andean highlands, climate varies with elevation; traditionally, a rainy season occurs from September– March (although it can start as late as December) and a dry, cold season from May–August. Average temperatures range from 11˚–18˚C, and annual rainfall from 50–1000 mm, with drier conditions along the southwest and wetter conditions along the east. The northern Andes are subject to frosts, while the southern Andes are drought-prone. The Eastern lowlands and Amazon rainforest have a tropical climate, with high temperatures and rainfall throughout the year. Average temperatures range from 22˚C in the eastern Andes to 31˚C in the Amazon, with annual rainfall from 1,000–3,000 mm.