Aconcagua weather

Aconcagua is, generally, a good of the Aconcagua weather . However snow storms and strong winds should be expected anytime. The official Aconcagua climbing season is from November 15th to March 15th.  We run our expeditions during December, January and February. Ends of November and December firsts are always a little colder and days are shorter and wind blows more at the end of February. But as I told, you must be ready for a storm at anytime. We have experienced heavy snow storm in mid January but usually the sun shines most of the summer and wind is not danger in normal conditions.

Aconcagua weather

Temperatures are very different during the day or the night. As a guideline I can say temperatures are approx.
Approach (Confluencia): Night 0ºC; Day 20 to 30ºC
Base camp (Plaza de Mulas): Night -10ºC; Day 10 to 20ºC

Because Aconcagua is such a large geographic structure, it often creates its own weather.

The climate surrounding Aconcagua is affected by a number of factors including marine currents, winds and orography. Because of this, the weather on Aconcagua can be quite dramatic and fast changing.

To help you prepare for your trip, we have provided an overview of the types of weather and temperatures you can expect on Aconcagua, including the best time to climb

Aconcagua weather – Winds, Currents and Location

The climate of Aconcagua is mainly determined by its height and location.

Because of the low pressure system coming off the Pacific Ocean, the Central Argentina Andes and, in particular Aconcagua, receive humid winds from the anticyclone areas in the Pacific Ocean affect the Aconcagua weather.

This climatic phenomenon known as Zonda wind is very similar to that of the Foehn wind in Europe. The Pacific anticyclone creates warm, humid winds that are sent east towards the Andes. Whilst this wind continues to warm after reaching the Andes, this is not the case when it hits Aconcagua. Because the mountain is so big, the warm east winds are forced upwards thereby rapidly cooling the wind. By the time it reaches the upper reaches of the mountain, the once warm wind is so cold that it precipitates it humidity in the form of snow.

This table gives the weather forecast for Aconcagua at the specific elevation of 6962 m. Our advanced weather models allow us to provide distinct weather forecasts for several elevations of Aconcagua. To see the weather forecasts for the other elevations, use the tab navigation above the table. For a wider overview of the weather, consult the Weather Map of Argentina.