Arica weather by month & the best time to visit
Chile · seaside town · hot desert climate
The best time to visit Arica is March — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 96/100), with April and May close behind. Arica averages about 2,893 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 23°C / 73°F and roughly 2 mm of rain in March.
When is the best time to visit Arica?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Arica is March, then April and May. The dullest month is July (71/100, 6 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Arica?
Arica gets a lot of sun: around 2,893 hours a year. March (96/100) is noticeably better than July (71). It ranks #7 of 18 destinations in Chile for annual sunshine, above the national median of 2,773 hours. Rain is a non-event in Arica — about 28 mm in a typical year.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 95 | 23° / 73°F | 22° / 72°F | 4 mm | 14 | 20° / 68°F |
| February | 95 | 24° / 75°F | 23° / 73°F | 4 mm | 14 | 22° / 72°F |
| March | 96 | 23° / 73°F | 22° / 72°F | 2 mm | 13 | 22° / 72°F |
| April | 96 | 21° / 70°F | 20° / 68°F | 1 mm | 10 | 21° / 70°F |
| May | 96 | 20° / 68°F | 18° / 64°F | 0 mm | 7 | 18° / 64°F |
| June | 80 | 18° / 64°F | 17° / 63°F | 2 mm | 5 | 17° / 63°F |
| July | 71 | 17° / 63°F | 16° / 61°F | 6 mm | 6 | 16° / 61°F |
| August | 72 | 17° / 63°F | 15° / 59°F | 3 mm | 7 | 17° / 63°F |
| September | 72 | 17° / 63°F | 16° / 61°F | 2 mm | 9 | 17° / 63°F |
| October | 80 | 18° / 64°F | 17° / 63°F | 1 mm | 11 | 18° / 64°F |
| November | 96 | 20° / 68°F | 18° / 64°F | 1 mm | 13 | 19° / 66°F |
| December | 96 | 22° / 72°F | 20° / 68°F | 2 mm | 14 | 20° / 68°F |
Sea temperature in Arica by month
The sea off Arica is warmest in February at around 22°C / 72°F, and coolest in July at 16°C / 61°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly 3 months a year. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
How Arica compares month by month: Arica vs Arequipa · Arica vs Tacna · Arica vs Iquique · all comparisons
Arica: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Arica?
Arica is a seaside town in Chile with a hot desert climate — the sea reaches 22°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) about 3 months a year.
How many hours of sunshine does Arica get a year?
Arica gets about 2,893 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around March.
When is the best time to visit Arica?
The sunniest time to visit Arica is March, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 96/100 (with April and May close behind). Expect daytime highs around 23°C / 73°F.
What is the least sunny month in Arica?
July is the least sunny month in Arica, scoring 71/100 with about 6 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Arica?
The sea in Arica ranges from about 16°C (July) to 22°C (February). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Arica?
The typical midday UV index in Arica peaks around 14 (extreme) in January, easing to about 5 (moderate) in June. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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