Salta vs Calama: which is sunnier?
🇦🇷 Argentina vs 🇨🇱 Chile · 436 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Calama is the sunnier overall: about 4,353 hours of sunshine a year to Salta's 3,114. Calama has the higher Sunshine Score in 12 of 12 months — a clean sweep.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Salta | Calama | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,114 | 4,353 |
| Sunniest month | June (97/100) | April (100/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 75/100 | 99/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 97/100 | 100/100 |
| Rain / year | 782 mm | 33 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 11 (extreme) | 16 (extreme) |
Salta vs Calama month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salta | Calama | Salta | Calama | Salta | Calama | |
| January | 70 | 99 | 29° | 27° | 184 | 8 |
| February | 70 | 98 | 28° | 26° | 164 | 9 |
| March | 76 | 99 | 27° | 26° | 116 | 6 |
| April | 87 | 100 | 26° | 25° | 57 | 1 |
| May | 96 | 100 | 23° | 22° | 11 | 2 |
| June | 97 | 100 | 23° | 21° | 5 | 0 |
| July | 97 | 100 | 23° | 21° | 2 | 1 |
| August | 97 | 100 | 25° | 22° | 3 | 1 |
| September | 97 | 100 | 27° | 24° | 5 | 0 |
| October | 92 | 100 | 30° | 26° | 29 | 0 |
| November | 86 | 100 | 30° | 27° | 65 | 1 |
| December | 72 | 99 | 30° | 27° | 141 | 4 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Calama · Feb Calama · Mar Calama · Apr Calama · May Calama · Jun Calama · Jul Calama · Aug Calama · Sep Calama · Oct Calama · Nov Calama · Dec Calama.
When to pick which
- November–February: Calama (average score 99/100 vs 75). Salta is the warmer, around 29°C daytime highs vs 27°C.
- March–May: Calama (average score 100/100 vs 86). Daytime highs are similar (25°C vs 24°C).
- June–August: Calama (average score 100/100 vs 97). Salta is the warmer, around 24°C daytime highs vs 21°C.
- September–October: Calama (average score 100/100 vs 95). Salta is the warmer, around 29°C daytime highs vs 25°C.
Full month-by-month guides: Salta weather by month · Calama weather by month · Best time to visit Argentina · Best time to visit Chile.
More comparisons: Salta vs Antofagasta · Salta vs Copiapo · Calama vs Antofagasta · Calama vs Iquique · Calama vs Copiapo · all head-to-heads