| The continent of South America is a very | | | | southern most parts of Chile and Argentina. The |
| extensive continent in the North-South direction. | | | | summers are cool because these areas are |
| Its northern most part the Gulf of Venezuela is at | | | | located very far from the equator -at Punta |
| about 10 degrees north while the southern most | | | | Arenas in Chile located at 53 degrees South the |
| tip Cape Horn is almost at about 55 degrees | | | | temperature of the warmest month is only 52 F ( |
| south of equator. As we know that chief factor | | | | 11 C) and the coolest 35 F ( 3 C ). The range is |
| affecting the climate of a place is the latitude so | | | | therefore only 17 F. This calls for an explanation. |
| we can expect a wide variation in the climate of | | | | Please note that as expected from a such a high |
| South America. Interestingly it is not so. The | | | | latitude the summer temperature would have |
| reason being that this continent has a conic shape | | | | been around 68 F which is typical of |
| and it becomes narrower and narrower as we go | | | | cool-temperate climate( London has 65 F ). The |
| towards the southern latitudes and due to the | | | | reason is that the southern most tip of the |
| combined influence of the Atlantic and the Pacific | | | | continent of South America is very narrow and |
| oceans, extreme variations in the temperatures | | | | remains under the influence of both the Pacific |
| are not present. | | | | and the Atlantic oceans. Consequently the |
| The climate of South America can be divide into | | | | summers are cool and winters mild. The rain is |
| the following seven climatic zones. | | | | light and is uniform throughout the year. The total |
| Tropical Climate: | | | | annual rainfall at Punta Arenas is 16 inches ( 400 |
| This climate is found in the Central Brazil, Eastern | | | | mm ) but even such a low rainfall is sufficient to |
| Peru and South Eastern Columbia. The | | | | sustain vegetation since evaporation rate is |
| temperature remains high ( around 80 F or 27 C ) | | | | retarded at such a low temperatures. |
| throughout the year. The rainfall is heavy; usually | | | | Mediterranean Climate |
| greater than 80 inches ( 2000 mm) and is uniform | | | | Central Chile exhibits the typical Mediterranean |
| all the year round and humidity is excessive. | | | | climate of dry warm summers and cool wet |
| There is no winter month. No month is below 70 | | | | winters. The max temperature at Santiago, Chile |
| F (21 C ) and the range between the hottest and | | | | located in the heart of this region in the hottest |
| coolest month is very narrow. These areas lie | | | | month of January is 67 F ( about 20 C ) and min |
| about 7 degrees south and north of the equator. | | | | in the month of July is 46 F ( 7 C ). The total |
| At Iquitos in Peru for example which is located at | | | | annual rain fall is 14 inches ( 350 mm ) of which |
| 4 degrees south and 73 W, the total annual rainfall | | | | more than 11 inches or 80 percent falls in the |
| is 103 inches ( 2600 mm) equally distributed in all | | | | winter months from May to August. January is |
| months and no month receives less than 7 inches | | | | practically dry. The temperatures in the hottest |
| (175 mm). To give you an idea of the heaviness | | | | month are less than the other Mediterranean |
| of rainfall compare it with London which has a | | | | locations in the Northern Hemisphere ( Rome 76 F |
| total annual rainfall of 23 inches ( 600 mm ). At | | | | ) because Santiago is under the influence of cool |
| Iquitos the hottest month has a temperature of | | | | pacific current in summer. |
| 78 F ( 26 C ) and coolest of 74 ( 23 C ); a range | | | | Desert Climate |
| of only 4 F. Such a high temperature and | | | | Almost all of the pacific coast of South America |
| abundant rainfall is responsible for one of the | | | | which contains a major part of Chile and south |
| thickest forests in the world which are found | | | | western Argentina depicts this type of climate. |
| every where in this area. The weather for the | | | | This is a very narrow strip which runs along the |
| foreigner is however trying for the high humidity | | | | Andes mountains and on the other side is the |
| combined with high temperature makes the | | | | pacific ocean. This is the reason that the stations |
| weather quite oppressive. | | | | located in this part of the world do not have that |
| Sub-Tropical Climate | | | | extremes of temperatures which are found in the |
| This type of weather is found in Northern and | | | | Northern Hemisphere Deserts but the ares are |
| Southern Brazil, almost whole of Columbia, greater | | | | one of the driest places on earth. Antofagasta at |
| part of Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam and French | | | | 24 S and 70 W lies in the heart of the Atacama |
| Guiana. The rainfall is nether so heavy nor | | | | Desert of South America which is known for its |
| uniformly distributed among all months.. There is a | | | | dryness all over the world. Although the warmest |
| definite wet and dry season. The temperature | | | | month is 72 F ( 22) and the coolest month is 61 F |
| range is also greater than that of the tropical | | | | ( 16 C ) at Antofagasta which does not show any |
| regions. Rio de Janeiro in South Eastern Brazil is | | | | extremes of temperatures but the rainfall is |
| the best example of this type of Climate. The | | | | practically NIL in each month leading to a total |
| total annual rainfall for this station is 44 inches | | | | annual rainfall which is negligible. Indeed there are |
| (1100 mm ) which is not meager but four months | | | | some areas in this region which have not received |
| from June to September each have less than 3 | | | | rainfall for the last 400 years. |
| inches ( 75 mm ) of rainfall while March and | | | | Mountain Climate |
| December record more than 5 inches ( 125 m ). | | | | A very long Mountain range runs across the |
| The coolest month is June with a temperature of | | | | western edge of the continent between about 10 |
| 68 F ( 20 C ) and the hottest January with a | | | | degrees North Latitude and 50 degrees South |
| temperature of 78 F ( 26 C ) showing a range of | | | | Latitude and is among the longest mountain |
| 10. It may come to the reader as a surprise that | | | | ranges of the world. This is called the Andes. It |
| Jan. is hottest at Rio but remember that we are | | | | contains many important cities of South America |
| in the southern hemisphere where the seasons | | | | like Quito in Ecuador, Bogotá in Columbia |
| are reversed. The climate on the whole is less | | | | and La Paz in Bolivia. All these cities are located |
| oppressive than that of the tropical one. | | | | 2000 m ( about 7000 feet) above mean sea level. |
| Warm-Temperate Climate | | | | As we know that the temperature falls 1 degree |
| This type of climate is found in Argentina, | | | | F for every 300 feet or 1.6 C for every 1000 |
| Uruguay and Paraguay. The characteristic features | | | | feet so the altitude modifies the temperature of |
| are warm summers and mild winters. Rainfall is | | | | a place to a great extent. The typical example of |
| moderate and is uniform throughout the year. | | | | the effect of high altitude on temperature is that |
| The range between the hottest and coldest | | | | of Quito in Ecuador which lies directly on the |
| month is much greater than that of the two | | | | Equator and being an Equitorial station one |
| regions described above. At Buenos Aires in | | | | expects a constant hot and wet climate with |
| Argentina the total Annual Rainfall is 37 inches ( | | | | unbearable humidity but due to its elevation of |
| about 900 mm ) equally distributed in all months | | | | about 10,000 feet the climate is very pleasant. |
| so that no month is below 2.5 inch ( 50 mm). The | | | | The temperature remains in the range of 54-55 F |
| hottest month is Jan. with a temperature of 74 F | | | | ( 12-13 C ) throughout the year and gives the |
| ( 23 C ) and the coolest is July with 49 F ( 9 C ); | | | | effect of an English Spring. That is why areas like |
| thus having a range of 35 F. There are no | | | | these are called lands of perpetual spring. The rain |
| extremes of temperatures in this type of climate | | | | however is heavy and is equally distributed |
| and has been ideal for foreign settlement.. This is | | | | through out the year, |
| the reason that almost 90 percent of the | | | | This concludes the account of climatic zones of |
| population of Argentina is of European origin. | | | | South America which is not a thorough account |
| Cool- Temperate Climate | | | | but touches all the important features of different |
| These climatic conditions are found in the | | | | climates found in this continent. |