Uruguay
has a temperate climate with hot summers and mild winters. As it is quite close
to the equator and almost surrounded by sea, Uruguay sees only small seasonal
variations in temperature. Uruguay is bordered by Brazil to the north and Argentina to the west. The Pacific Ocean sits to its east and south. Sitting in the southern hemisphere, Uruguay’s
seasons are the opposite of those in the northern hemisphere with winter
falling from June till August. Uruguay
is the second smallest country in South America
and with low-lying, rolling topography and a long coast line, it experiences
little regional variation in climate. These same factors also mean a lack of
natural barriers to wind; wind blows freely across the country and so weather
conditions are erratic, changing unpredictably.
Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year but the
low, flat land and many rivers, including the
Uruguay
River which is the second longest on the continent, means the
country is susceptible to flooding when there is a slight increase in rain. Rainfall
is generally higher towards the Pacific. Along the rivers are a series of
seasonal lakes.
Summer, from
December till March, is hot and humid. The average high temperature in
Montevideo climbs from 26°C in December to a peak of 28°C in January, getting
back down to 25°C in March. Night times are much cooler, usually under 20°C,
but can still feel very sticky. The blistering highs seen at similar latitudes
just west of Uruguay are
avoided due to the Pacific Ocean which stays
quite cool even in the summer. The Pacific is warmest from January till March
at 22°C. While temperatures are not extreme, the high humidity can often make
it very uncomfortable, and cool sea breezes are often overridden by the zonda,
a hot, northerly wind bringing tropical conditions from Brazil. Summer
rain falls as tropical downpours: heavy and brief, sometimes causing floods.
Sunshine levels are high, around nine hours per day, though it can get hazy due
to the high humidity.
Autumn, in April
and May, is warm with cool nights. The average high temperature reduces to 22°C
in April and 19°C in May, which see average lows of 16°C and 13°C respectively.
Sunshine reduces quite drastically to six hours per day in April and five in
May, and fog coming inland from the sea and rivers is commonplace. Rainfall
becomes less dramatic as the season progresses, shifting from the tropical
summer storms to longer, lighter showers.
Winter, from June
till August, is mild and damp. Snow is very rare; precipitation continues to
fall in persistent drizzle from regularly overcast skies. This season is
dominated by the pampero wind from the south which is cold and often very
strong. This originates in Argentina
which, stretching far south and with high mountains, can get very cold in
wintertime. This wind makes the weather even more unpredictable from moment to
moment. The sun still shines for around five hours each day, and the average
high temperature does not fall below 15°C. The average low temperature, at
night, gets down to 7°C in July and August. It tends not to get down to
freezing so frosts are unlikely, though away from the coast it has been known
to form. The sea gets down to 10°C in July and August.
Spring, from
September till November, heats up quickly. The average high temperature climbs
to 18°C in September, 20°C in October and 23°C in November. Night time
temperatures remain cool, not rising above 15°C till mid November. The clouds
begin to clear away and the sun shines for longer and longer, but fog develops
quite regularly. Spring is still subject to the pampero wind which can suddenly
force temperatures down
Uruguay is nicest in late spring/early summer and late summer/early autumn, when the temperature is still pleasantly hot but the worst of the humidity can be avoided. However, as said earlier, Uruguay is prone to very changeable weather; just when you think you've got the hang of things the wind can change causing large fluctuations in temperature and rainfall.
Global warming brought on the worst flooding Uruguay
had seen in fifty years this January (2009), causing extensive damage and
leaving almost 10,000 people homeless. A rise in sea level is also threatening
coastal wetlands. Matters can only get worse as climate change progresses.
While the country is certainly suffering at the hands of other countries’
polluting industries, it is by no means an innocent bystander. Uruguay’s
main environmental concerns are air and water pollution. High levels of
pollution are created by the country’s own industries. However, Brazil’s environmentally inefficient power
plants are also a large cause for concern in Uruguay.
While Uruguay
is an incredibly homogenous country with its temperate climate and flat
landscape, there is great regional variation in terms of modern development and
standard of living. The northern regions on the Brazilian border are the least
developed which still have poor healthcare and education. Towards the coast
contradictory conditions exist of high development but also high poverty. The
departments of Montevideo
and Maldonado are relatively affluent, modernised areas. Uruguay’s population is highly
unevenly distributed, with over a third of the country’s entire population
living in the capital city.
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