Snow-capped mountains tower over Puerto Montt. Credit: Wikimedia

The climate in Puerto Montt, Chile, is rather chilly.

For temperatures alone, the best time to go to Puerto Montt on a South American cruise is most months of the year because they vary so little. But some months are better than others.

Puerto Montt is a gateway to Chile’s Lake District with glaciers, alpine valleys and snow-capped volcanoes. It is known for its natural beauty.

Cruise ships tend to visit this city of 130,000 people during the summer months of the Southern Hemisphere—December through February. They are good months to go for northerners who want to escape their winters.

Average Temperatures

The average high temperature in Puerto Montt ranges from 50 degrees Fahrenheit or about 10 Celsius in July to more than 60 Fahrenheit from November through March, according to historical records from the Meteorological Directorate of Chile.

January and February are the warmest months of the year with an average high of nearly 68 Fahrenheit or 20 Celsius.

The average low temperatures, mostly at night, range from the upper 30s Fahrenheit from June through September to the upper 40s from December through March.

Temperatures require long pants and lightweight jackets during the day and heavier clothes at night.

Average Rainfall

The climate from December through February has another advantage for cruise visitors. It’s the dry season for Puerto Montt.

The average rainfall is about three inches a month during this period. It rains on average about 12 to 15 days a month or one out of every two days, the Meteorological Directorate of Chile says.

In contrast, rainfall and snowfall reach eight inches in May and about nine inches in June. The city has about 22 days of precipitation each month.

Best and Worst Months to Go

The average climate in Puerto Montt clearly shows that the best months to visit are December through February. The worst months to go there are June through August.

Cruise lines are less likely to visit outside of these three months because of the weather.

If there is one best month to visit, it is February. Over a 30-year history, February has had the lowest average rainfall, the fewest days with rain and the warmest temperatures.

Just don’t expect to go swimming in the ocean.