Climate of Paraguay facts for kids

Paraguay's climate zones.

The climate of Paraguay has two main types. The eastern part, called the Paranaense region, has a subtropical climate. This means it's usually warm and humid with lots of rain all year. The western part, known as the Chaco, has a tropical climate that is wet and dry.

Paraguay's seasons are opposite to countries in the Northern Hemisphere. So, when it's summer in places like the United States or Europe, it's winter in Paraguay. And when it's winter up north, it's summer in Paraguay!

During the Paraguayan summer, warm winds called sirocco blow from the northeast. These winds make the weather hot.

In winter, a cold wind called pampero comes from the South Atlantic Ocean. It blows across Argentina and then turns towards Paraguay. Because Paraguay doesn't have big mountains to block these winds, the weather can change very quickly. Winds are often strong. Sometimes, winds have reached speeds of 160 kilometers per hour (about 100 miles per hour) in southern Paraguay. Once, a tornado even destroyed the town of Encarnación.

Paranaense Region: Wet and Warm

The Paranaense region has two clear seasons. Summer lasts from October to March. Winter is from May to August. In April and September, which are in-between months, temperatures can be cooler. At night, it might even get cold enough to freeze.

Winter in Paranaense

July is the coldest month during winter in the Southern Hemisphere. In Asunción, the capital city, the average temperature is about 17.87°C (64.17°F). It's a bit cooler on the Paraná Plateau. The temperature doesn't change much from north to south in this region.

Some years, there are only a few days with freezing temperatures (around 3 days). Other years, there can be many more (up to 16 days). Some winters are very mild with warm winds from the north, so there's little frost.

But during a cold winter, very cold air from Antarctica can bring freezing temperatures to all parts of the Paranaense region. This means that frost can damage crops. Sometimes, people even report light snow flurries in different places.

Summer in Paranaense

From October to March, warm, moist air keeps the Paranaense region hot. In Asunción, January is the warmest month, with an average temperature of about 27.96°C (82.33°F).

During summer, daytime temperatures often reach 38°C (100°F). However, cool air often moves in from the south. This causes the weather to switch between clear, humid days and stormy conditions.

Rainfall in Paranaense

Rain falls fairly evenly throughout the year in the Paranaense region. Most of the rain comes from large tropical air masses. August is usually the driest month. During August, different parts of the region get between 100 mm (3.9 inches) and 200 mm (7.9 inches) of rain. The most rain falls in two periods: March to May and October to November.

Across the whole region, the difference between the driest and wettest months is usually 100 mm to 180 mm (3.9 to 7.1 inches). The region gets about 1270 mm (50 inches) of rain each year on average. However, the Paraná Plateau gets even more, about 250 mm to 380 mm (9.8 to 15 inches) extra. The amount of rain can change a lot from year to year. For example, Asunción has had as much as 208 mm (8.2 inches) and as little as 560 mm (22 inches) of rain in a year. Puerto Bertoni on the Paraná Plateau has seen as much as 3300 mm (130 inches) and as little as 790 mm (31 inches).

Chaco: Hot and Dry/Wet

Temperature changes in Paraguay since 1901.

Unlike the Paranaense region, the Chaco has a tropical wet-and-dry climate. It's almost semi-arid, meaning it's very dry. The Chaco has seasons that either flood the land or make it very dry. But the temperature doesn't change much between seasons. Chaco temperatures are usually high, and even in winter, it only gets a little cooler. Even at night, the air can feel heavy, even with a breeze.

Rainfall is light, usually between 500 to 1,000 millimeters (19.7 to 39.4 inches) per year. The higher land to the northwest gets a bit more rain. Most of the rain falls in the summer months. This means that large areas that are like deserts in winter become swamps in summer.

Examples

See also

In Spanish: Clima de Paraguay para niños

• Geography of Paraguay
• Climate of Argentina
• Climate of Brazil
• Climate of Asunción