Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
many restaurants, shops, airline offices and
government buildings.
Cerro Martial
is the snow-capped glacial
mountain that overlooks Ushuaia. The resort
hotels are located on it, as are the ski facilities.
Climate
Since Ushuaia, like most of South America, is
in the southern hemisphere, seasons are oppo-
site those of the northern hemisphere. The
summer solstice falls in December when the
city is bathed in daylight for 17.5 hours (Decem-
ber 20-23). At the winter solstice (June 20-23),
daylight lasts for just seven hours. Contrary to
what you may be thinking, winters here are not
unbearably cold. There are two climate zones
on the island. The southern area around
Ushuaia gets lots of rain and clouds, while the
northern area near the town of Rio Grande is
drier. Temperatures rarely fall below 60°F
(21°C) and can reach the low 80s (29°C) in
December. The average temperature in
Ushuaia is 50°F, but the wind blows constantly
year-round, which makes it feel colder than it
actually is. The winds are strongest in spring
and summer. Most importantly, the weather
changes frequently and unpredictably with
wide variations in one day. Be prepared with
waterproof gear and lots of “layerables” no mat-
ter when you visit.
Though far
from tropical,
winters are not
unbearably cold.
“Layerables”
and waterproof
gear are always
a must.
