Bolivia,
in South America, has borders with Brazil,
Paraguay, Argentina, Chile
and Peru.
While it sits within tropical latitudes, the diverse topography of the country
has lead to many differing climatic regions. There is little variation between
the two seasons, summer and winter, the climate from region to region being
mainly affected by altitude and surrounding topographical features. Rainfall
levels are typically higher in the north, though the south sees more pronounced
wet and dry seasons and has the heaviest rainfall in the summer. Bolivia can be
split into five different climatic regions:
Altiplano Region
– the high Andes Mountains on the west border. La Paz and Lake Titicaca
sit in this region.
Cordillera Central
– the highland valleys in the Andes to the
east of the Altiplano region. Cochabamba and Potosi are within in this
area.
Yungas Valley – the slopes on the east of the Andes. The Yungas
Road, or ‘Road of Death’, runs through this
region… as you may have guessed: it’s quite dangerous.
Eastern Lowlands
– a large proportion of Bolivia
northeast of the Bolivian Andes. Santa Cruz and Trinidad are in this region.
Gran
Chaco – the flat lowlands of the southeast. Camiri and Villamontes
are in this area.
The Altiplano Region
is the highest area in Bolivia
and as such it is the coldest. It has a semi-arid climate with a short, rainy
summer from November till March, and a long, dry winter from April till
October. The region is continuously swept by strong and chilling winds. In the
summer, La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, is at
its warmest at the beginning of the season, seeing average highs of 15°C in
October and November. It cools off gradually, and not by a great deal, to 13°C
in March. It can always get down to freezing at night though average lows are
around conversely increase as daytime highs decrease; in October the average
low temperature is at freezing, while it March it gets up to 2°C. Rainfall
increases, peaking in December and January. While it becomes quite frequent,
the amount of rain that actually falls remains quite low. In the winter,
temperatures drop to around 12°C in the day, and -5°C at night. Precipitation
is minimal with the whole area seeing about five days seeing snowfall
throughout the season. Land surrounding Lake Titicaca
benefits from the moderating influence expected of large bodies of water;
however, this effect is greatly reduced by the affects of high altitude.
The Cordillera
Central region receives the most comfortable weather in Bolivia. There
is little temperature variation throughout the year; in Cochabamba average high temperatures
fluctuate between 25°C and 29°C throughout the year. Average lows do see a
significant drop during the dry season, from May till August, from around 18°C
to 14°C. While this may seem only as significant as the daytime range, 18°C is
warm while 14°C requires a jumper. This drop in night temperature is due to the
reduced humidity; the dry season can expect absolutely no precipitation
throughout the period. While at this elevation snow is expected, the tropical
sun does not allow temperatures to drop low enough. Potosi, which is the highest peak of this
area, does see much lower temperatures and snowfall.
The Yungas Valley has a sub-tropical to tropical climate and
is the cloudiest, rainiest and most humid part of Bolivia… lovely. Actually,
it is very beautiful; high rainfall on the fertile soil means that the area is thickly
vegetated with exotic rainforest or deciduous forest depending on regional
rainfall. The heaviest rains fall in the summer wet season between November and
March, when temperatures regularly get as high as 32°C. The area is drier and
much cooler in winter from April till October, bringing the annual average
temperature down to 18°C. This means it regularly gets below 15°C.
The Eastern Lowlands
cover about half of the country. Areas surrounding the Amazon basin receive
a tropical climate where it is hotter than the Yungas Valley
with little seasonal variation, seeing average high temperatures just above
30°C year round. Trinidad sees a very short dry season, still with moderate
rainfall, from June till September, when average highs fall just below 30°C and
average lows get down to around 16°C. The wet season peaks in January. Further
south the climate is sub-tropical with cooler winters brought by southeast
winds. In Santa Cruz
rainfall is moderate, getting gradually heavier towards winter and lighter
towards summer. August is the driest month while January is the wettest. From
September till March average highs can be expected at 30°C, but in the winter,
from April till August, the temperature relents slightly; the average high
temperature dips down to 24°C in June and July. These winter months are the
best time to visit the area due low rainfall and pleasant temperatures.
The Gran Chaco is
semi-arid for eight months of the year, seeing virtually no rainfall. But heavy
rainfall from December to March brings on floods and semi-tropical weather
conditions. The aridity of the summer months drives day time temperatures up
into the mid 40s. This is the hottest part of Bolivia with the most extreme
temperature, creating areas of desert and areas of rainforest side by side. The
Gran Chaco is affectionately nicknamed ‘Green
Hell’.
Bolivia
is an incredibly diverse country presenting fascinating extremes of habitat and
landscape. The country is perhaps better suited to the more adventurous
traveller, though many areas of lower altitude have something to offer for all.
Those travelling to areas of higher elevation should be prepared for the
physical effects of the change in atmosphere; thinner air means less oxygen and
it is a good idea to introduce yourself gradually, pausing to acclimatise as
you climb. Strenuous activities should only be attempted once fully
acclimatised.
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