January: the best month of the year in Punta Arenas
Best window · 9.3/10January averages 10°C (51°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Expect 37 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 23 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 16.2 daylight hours.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Punta Arenas at 9.3/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Figure on peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, footwear you can get muddy.
February in Punta Arenas — reliably good (4th best month)
Good · 7.7/10February averages 10°C (50°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 63 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 13 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.5 hours of daylight.
It scores 7.7/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? January scores 1.6 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
March in Punta Arenas: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 6.6/10Expect 8°C (46°F) in March. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 47 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 5 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.5 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 6.6/10 on the same scale — 6th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, January is materially better in Punta Arenas — 2.7 points higher on the same scale.
April in Punta Arenas — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 5.1/10April averages 6°C (43°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 51 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.3 hours of daylight.
It scores 5.1/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? January scores 4.2 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
May in Punta Arenas — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.4/10Expect 5°C (41°F) in May. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
With around 41 mm of rain, any showers tend to pass through rather than settle in; almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 8.4 hours of daylight fill the rest.
That is 4.4/10 on the same scale — 9th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, January is materially better in Punta Arenas — 4.9 points higher on the same scale.
June in Punta Arenas — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 3.8/10June averages 2°C (36°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
Expect 40 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 7.3 daylight hours.
It scores 3.8/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? January scores 5.5 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
July in Punta Arenas — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 3.9/10July averages 2°C (35°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
Expect 36 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 7.8 daylight hours.
It scores 3.9/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? January scores 5.4 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
August in Punta Arenas: expect compromises
Hardest · 4.2/10At 3°C (37°F) this is proper winter weather in August: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
Budget for roughly 46 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.5 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 4.2/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, January is materially better in Punta Arenas — 5.1 points higher on the same scale.
September in Punta Arenas: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 5.6/10Expect 4°C (39°F) in September. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
With around 26 mm of rain, any showers tend to pass through rather than settle in; about 2 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.6 hours of daylight fill the rest.
That is 5.6/10 on the same scale — 7th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, January is materially better in Punta Arenas — 3.7 points higher on the same scale.
October holds up well in Punta Arenas — 5th best month
Good · 7.4/10October averages 7°C (44°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Expect 31 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 11 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 13.7 daylight hours.
It scores 7.4/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? January scores 1.9 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
November is one of the strongest months in Punta Arenas (3rd)
Best window · 8.8/10November averages 8°C (47°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Expect 39 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 21 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 15.7 daylight hours.
A 8.8/10 puts this among the year's best months in Punta Arenas (3rd of 12); only January scores higher, at 9.3/10.
Figure on peak pricing, with crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, footwear you can get muddy.
December is one of the strongest months in Punta Arenas (2nd)
Best window · 9.1/10Expect 9°C (49°F) in December. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
With around 38 mm of rain, any showers tend to pass through rather than settle in; about 27 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 16.7 hours of daylight fill the rest.
On our climate-comfort scale this is one of the strongest months of the year for Punta Arenas at 9.1/10 (2nd of 12), just behind January at 9.3/10.
Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, footwear you can get muddy.
