Climate and Weather of Bolivia
Bolivia is a country located in South America along the Andes Mountains. The country is best known for its history, lively biodiversity, and ethereal 'cloud forests' in the salt plateau Salar de Uyuni that travellers love. This is a phenomenon where cloud formations in the higher altitudes of the Andes Mountains give the illusion of people walking on clouds.Bolivia's location on the eastern side of the Andes mountains is the most determining factor for the climate in Bolivia. During summer, it has contrasting cold nights and warm days. Winter nights see temperatures fall below freezing point for as low as -10°C in Uyuni during June, the coldest month of the year in Bolivia. Rainfall occurs mainly during the summer months, between November and March, with January as the wettest month at 318 mm of rainfall in Riberalta.
The weather in Bolivia is strongly influenced by the extreme differences in altitude and the amount of rainfall a specific region receives, giving the country a variety of climates. June is Bolivia's coldest and driest month of the year, while October is the warmest. In terms of precipitation, June hardly has any precipitation in Tarija with 1 mm rainfall to an extent of 42 mm in Santa Cruz. Temperatures in June typically range from moderate in Uyuni with 13°C to very warm temperatures in Riberalta with 30°C. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 17°C in Riberalta and -10°C in Uyuni.
Does Bolivia experience hurricanes?
There is no recorded hurricane to have ever hit Bolivia. As a matter of fact, South America is least affected by hurricanes in the world because of different wind directions in the continent that are not ideal for forming cyclones. Although very rare, Bolivia has experienced local thunderstorms in the past, particularly during the country’s rainy season falling from November to March.
When is the best time to visit Bolivia?
In general, we would suggest the months June, July or August, especially if you want to travel around the country and visit as many places as you’d like. This is considered the driest period in Bolivia. You can freely travel around the capital Sucre at 8.7°C and see breathtaking architecture, food, and museums at this time of the year. Oruro also has natural parks and archaeological sites that you can visit at a temperature of 15°C in June.
The best time to visit Bolivia still largely depends on the destinations you would travel and explore. Although it is overwhelmingly tropical in most parts of Bolivia, temperatures can vary depending on elevation. Because you're dealing with different climate areas, it’s a little more difficult to designate one specific period as the best travel time for Bolivia.
Are you interested in more detailed information for various cities in Bolivia?
Please select the city you plan to visit, or one closest to your destination. For each selected city, you will see the following graphs:
1. Yearly average minimum and maximum temperatures
2. Monthly averages of precipitation throughout the year (rainfall, snow etc)
3. Monthly average hours of sunshine throughout the year
Additionally, some pages provide historical weather data such as humidity, wind speed, and water temperature.