Geography and Climate
Chubut stretches from the Atlantic to the Andes: the coast is marked by high cliffs and sandy beaches, whereas the centre consists of several plateaus and depressions. The Andes are not very high in Chubut, with most peaks between 1,500 m and 2,000 m.
The coast is exceptionally mild for Patagonia due to warm currents from Brazil: daytime highs range from 24 °C (75 °F) to 28 °C (83 °F) and night temperatures range from 11 °C (52 °F) to 15 °C (59 °F) during the summer. Falls are pleasant with cool nights, and winters are moderate, with days ranging from about 9 °C (48 °F) in the south to 13 °C (55 °F) in the north, and nights from 1 °C (34 °F) to 4 °C (40 °F). Precipitation is low, from 150 mm to 250 mm. Temperatures below −10 °C (14 °F) are infrequent, as is heavy snow.
The plateaus are considerably more extreme weatherwise. Temperatures are warm during summer days, with the same range as in the coast, and cooler nights below 10 °C (50 °F). However, as fall approaches, night frost becomes the rule, and winters can sometimes be quite severe. Depending on elevation, daytime highs range from 3 °C (37 °F) to 9 °C (48 °F), while nighttime lows go from −1 °C (30 °F) to as low as −6 °C (21 °F). The lowest temperatures go from −25 °C to −30 °C (−13 to −22 °F) with severe wind chill. Snow is common, but in low quantities due to aridity.
The west becomes wetter as we approach the Andes, and some spots attain 4,000 mm of rainfall. Summers are cool and windy, at 20 °C to 22 °C (68 to 74 °F) during the day and 5 °C to 7 °C (41 to 45 °F) at night. Winters are very stormy, with rain, sleet and snow, highs from 4 °C to 8 °C (39 to 47 °F) at low altitudes, and lows from 0 °C (32 °F) to −4 °C (25 °F). Temperatures rarely dip below −20 °C (−4 °F) but heavy snow may occur.
Altitudes over 1,000 m have constant winter snow cover, and over 2,000 m, the snow remains until midsummer. Higher peaks are heavily glaciated.
Read more about this topic: Chubut Province
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