Pucón: When to Go

Overall, this part of Chile is at its best in spring and summer (September to February). January and February are by far the clearest and warmest months, while June and July are the coldest and most frequently windy.

Pucón really shifts gears in winter. Many agencies and accommodations shut down, crowds slow to a trickle, and skiing and snowboarding become the main focus - the alternating rain and puelche (powerful wind that blows off the Argentine pampas) can be too much for some. Weather in the ski area also tends to be different from the town of Pucón. To gauge wind conditions, check how the smoke from the crater is blowing.

Pucón celebrates most of Chile's annual festivals, but it's worth being here in mid-January for the Jornadas Musicales de Pucón, a popular musical festival.

Weather

Pablo Neruda wrote that his native La Araucanía was 'the land where the rain was born', where 'threads of rain fell, like long needles of glass snapping off on the roofs or coming up against the windows in transparent waves'. Indeed, Pacific Ocean storm clouds get backed up against the Andes and drop their watery cargo for days, or sometimes weeks, on end.

Fortunately, these storms do subside and let forth periods of glorious sunlight. January and February are by far the clearest and warmest months, while June and July are the coldest and windiest.

Pucón changes focus in winter with many tours and accommodations closing down, and the hiking crowds being replaced by skiers and snowboarders. Keep your eye on the alternating rain and puelche (powerful wind that blows off the Argentine pampas).

Temperature (average ° C)

Rainfall (average mm)