4.4 - Climate in Latin America
From the jungles of the Amazon to the high glacier capped peaks of the Andes to the bone dry Atacama Desert and frigid fjords of Tierra del Fuego, the range of climates in Latin America is enormous.
Mexico
Along the east and west coast of Mexico south of the Tropic of Cancer, the climate is Tropical with consistently high temperatures and rainfall. The interior of Mexico is mountainous and the climate reflects this. The interior tends to be temperate with mild winters and warm to hot summers. This temperate zone has dry winters and wet summers. Dry climates dominate the Baja Peninsula and in north central Mexico.
Central America
The coastal plains of Central America have tropical and humid type A climates. In the highland interior, the climate changes with elevation. As one travels up the mountainsides, the temperature cools. Only Belize is located away from this interior mountain chain. Rich soils and a cooler climate have attracted more people to live in the mountainous regions than along the coast.
South America
The persistent Sub-Tropical High located off South America's west coast and the cold Humboldt current along with the rainshadow effect of the Andes mountains, creates the very dry climate found in the Atacama Desert of Chile. The desert extends north into Peru as the the Peruvian coastal desert and the more northerly, Sechura Desert. Due to the cold current offshore and the Andes mountains to the east, the Peruvian Desert experiences a temperature inversion for about six months per year and while rainfall is rare fog is very common. The other primary dry region in South America is Patagonia and northwestern Argentina. Together they constitute the largest of the interior arid regions. Rainfall is low, only about 4 inches to 7 inches annually.
Tropical climates occur on the Pacific coast of Colombia, in the Amazon basin, on the coast of the Guianas, and along part of the coast of Brazil. The average daily temperature is high here, 86°F on average. Heavy rainfall, well-distributed throughout the year, averages about 100 inches annually in Belém (Brazil), about 110 inches in Iquitos (Peru), and 70 inches in Manaus (Brazil). The Chocó region of Colombia—one of the wettest areas in the world—receives in excess of 400 inches per year, and it rains more than 300 days per year. There is another tropical-rainy belt, in the Orinoco basin, in the Brazilian Highlands, and in part of western Ecuador. Here there is a distinctive winter dry season. Temperatures are still high and annual temperature variation is small, but daily temperature extremes are greater, typically ranging from a low of 65 °F to a high of 95 °F.
Temperate climates characterized by lower winter temperatures, are south of the Tropic of Capricorn (in Paraguay, parts of Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile) and in the mid-level elevations of the Andes. Central Chile shares its Mediterranean climate with California, the Mediterranean Basin, the Cape Town region of South Africa and Southern and SW Australia. The southernmost portions of Argentina and Chile and in the high Andes above about 11,500 feet are cold climates with low temperatures and moderate rainfall.
Altitudinal Zonation
Perhaps the most important factor regarding climate in Latin America is the impact of the mountains. High mountain ranges run the length of Central and South America. The Andes Mountains of South America are the longest mountain chain in the world, and a large section of this mountain range is in the tropics. Tropical regions usually have humid type A climates. What is significant in Latin America is that while the climate at the base of the Andes may be type A, the different zones of climate and corresponding human activity vary as one moves up the mountain in elevation. As we know, as you move up in altitude the temperature drops at a rate of about 3.5°F per 1,000 feet.
Human activity varies with elevation, and the activities can be categorized into zones according to altitudinal zonation. Each zone has its own type of vegetation and agricultural activity suited to the climate found at that elevation. In the tropical areas of Latin America, there are five established temperature-altitude zones. Elevation zones may vary depending on a particular location’s distance from the equator.
- Tierra caliente (hot land): Sea level to 2,500 feet
- Tierra templada (temperate land): 2,500 to 6,000 feet
- Tierra fria (cold land): 6,000 to 12,000 feet
- Tierra helada (frozen land): 12,000 to 15,000 feet
- Tierra nevada (snowy land): Above 15,000 feet
Tierra Caliente (Hot Land): Sea Level to 2,500 Feet
From sea level to 2,500 feet are the humid tropical lowlands found on the coastal plains. The coastal plains on the west coast of Central America are quite narrow, but they are wider along the Caribbean coast. Vegetation includes tropical rain forests and tropical commercial plantations. Food crops include bananas, manioc, sweet potatoes, yams, corn, beans, and rice. Livestock are raised at this level, and sugarcane is an important cash crop. Tropical diseases are most common, and large human populations are not commonly attracted to this zone.
Tierra Templada (Temperate Land): 2,501 to 6,000 Feet
From 2,500 to 6,000 feet is a zone with cooler temperatures than at sea level. This is the most populated zone of Latin America. Four of the seven capitals of the Central American republics are found in this zone. . The best coffee is grown at these elevations, and most other food crops can be grown here, including wheat and small grains.
Tierra Fria (Cold Land): 6,001 to 12,000 Feet
From 6,000 to 12,000 feet is the highest zone found in Central America. This zone is usually the limit of the tree line; few trees grow above this zone. The shorter growing season and cooler temperatures found at these elevations are still adequate for growing agricultural crops: wheat, barley, potatoes, and corn. Livestock can graze and be raised on the grasslands. The Inca Empire of the Andes Mountains in South America flourished in this zone.
Tierra Helada (Frozen Land): 12,001 to 15,000 Feet
Some classify this as the “Punta” zone. At this elevation, there are no trees. The only human activity is the raising of livestock such as sheep or llama on any short grasses available in the highland meadows. Snow and cold dominate the zone. Central America does not have a tierra helada zone, but it is found in the higher Andes Mountain Ranges of South America.
