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Climate of Paraguay


The climate of Paraguay consists of a subtropical climate in the Paraneña region and a tropical climate in the Chaco. The Paraneña region has a humid climate, with abundant precipitation throughout the year and only moderate seasonal changes in temperature.

During the Southern Hemisphere's summer, which corresponds to the northern winter, the dominant influence on the climate is the warm sirocco winds blowing out of the northeast.

During the winter, the dominant wind is the cold pampero from the South Atlantic, which blows across Argentina and is deflected northeastward by the Andes in the southern part of that country. Because of the lack of topographic barriers within Paraguay, these opposite prevailing winds bring about abrupt and irregular changes in the usually moderate weather. Winds are generally brisk. Velocities of 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph) have been reported in southern locations, and the town of Encarnación was once leveled by a tornado.

The Paraneña region has only two distinct seasons: summer from October to March and winter from May to August. In transitional months of April and September, temperatures below the midsummer averages include nocturnal minima that may dip below freezing.

During July, the coldest month of the subtropical winter, temperature averages about 17.87 °C (64.17 °F) in Asunción and slightly cooler on the Paraná Plateau. Temperature varies only insignificantly with latitude. The number of days with temperatures falling below freezing ranges from as few as 3 to as many as 16 yearly, and with even wider variations deep in the interior. Some very mild winters with winds blowing constantly from the north feature little frost.

During a cold winter, however, tongues of Antarctic air bring subfreezing temperatures to all areas. No part of the Paraneña region is entirely free from the possibility of frost and consequent damage to crops, and various locations report snow flurries occasionally.


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