Santiago vs Mendoza: which is sunnier?
🇨🇱 Chile vs 🇦🇷 Argentina · 196 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Mendoza is the sunnier overall: about 3,504 hours of sunshine a year to Santiago's 3,263. Santiago has the higher Sunshine Score in 6 of 12 months, Mendoza in 2 (4 within 2 points).
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Santiago | Mendoza | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,263 | 3,504 |
| Sunniest month | March (97/100) | September (99/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 87/100 | 84/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 87/100 | 76/100 |
| Rain / year | 275 mm | 292 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 13 (extreme) | 12 (extreme) |
Santiago vs Mendoza month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago | Mendoza | Santiago | Mendoza | Santiago | Mendoza | |
| January | 78 | 73 | 34° | 34° | 8 | 47 |
| February | 87 | 82 | 33° | 33° | 8 | 49 |
| March | 97 | 93 | 31° | 30° | 10 | 37 |
| April | 96 | 95 | 27° | 25° | 12 | 28 |
| May | 90 | 97 | 23° | 20° | 44 | 19 |
| June | 87 | 74 | 20° | 17° | 63 | 8 |
| July | 82 | 65 | 19° | 16° | 47 | 10 |
| August | 91 | 90 | 21° | 19° | 40 | 9 |
| September | 96 | 99 | 23° | 23° | 15 | 8 |
| October | 96 | 97 | 26° | 27° | 12 | 15 |
| November | 97 | 94 | 30° | 31° | 9 | 32 |
| December | 87 | 85 | 33° | 33° | 7 | 30 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Santiago · Feb Santiago · Mar Santiago · Apr even · May Mendoza · Jun Santiago · Jul Santiago · Aug even · Sep Mendoza · Oct even · Nov Santiago · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: Santiago (average score 87/100 vs 84). Daytime highs are similar (33°C vs 33°C).
- March–May: too close to call — Santiago averages 94/100, Mendoza 95/100. Santiago is the warmer, around 27°C daytime highs vs 25°C.
- June–August: Santiago (average score 87/100 vs 76). Santiago is the warmer, around 20°C daytime highs vs 17°C.
- September–October: too close to call — Santiago averages 96/100, Mendoza 98/100. Daytime highs are similar (25°C vs 25°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Santiago weather by month · Mendoza weather by month · Best time to visit Chile · Best time to visit Argentina.
More comparisons: Santiago vs Concepcion · Santiago vs La Serena-Coquimbo · Mendoza vs Cordoba · Mendoza vs La Serena-Coquimbo · all head-to-heads