Weather in Paraguay: Climate, Seasons, and Average Monthly Temperature

Paraguay has two main climate regions, the subtropical Chaco and the tropical Paranaense. There are two major seasons: summer, October to March, and winter, from June to August. Due to its location in the Southern Hemisphere, seasons are also reversed compared to the Northern Hemisphere. Rather than going in the summer, which is hot, rainy, and lasts seven months, opt for the dry season of winter to travel to this windy, landlocked country. Though generally warm, winter winds bring cold snaps and sometimes even night frosts. The shoulder seasons of autumn and spring only last one to two months and are moderately warm and rainy. Known for its weather mood swings and comprised of savannahs, wetlands, rainforests, and plateaus, Paraguay’s best explored with both umbrella and sunglasses in hand.

Wilderness, Winds, and Flooding

In the Chaco, infrastructure is poor outside of settlements. Roads can easily flood, especially during the wet months of March, November, and December. Bordering the Chaco in the far northeast is another area highly prone to flooding: the Pantanal Wetlands. Brimming with fantastical wildlife, be wary of flooding there from October through April.

Many winds blow over Paraguay, and its landscape has few natural barriers to block or divert them. Temperatures can change rapidly, especially in winter, due to warm and cold fronts blowing through the country. Pamperos (cold winds blowing in from Argentina) can cause mild nighttime frosts from May to September, but warm fronts also visit the country, creating balmy winter days. In summer, the sirocco wind blows in from the northeast, bringing warmth and humidity in their wake. Most of the winds are light, though, in the south, tornadoes have occurred.

Regions in Paraguay

The Chaco

The Chaco makes up about 60 percent of Paraguay, covering all of the north and half of the middle of the country. The humid chaco starts at the Paraguay River and continues west, while the dry chaco encompasses the center and west of the country. Two of the Chaco’s major towns, Mariscal Estigarribia and Filadelfia generally range in temperature from the mid-50s to the high 90s throughout the year. However, temps can go above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius). Late April to late September (beginning of fall to the end of winter) will be the best time to visit. During these months, temperatures are cool, and dry chaco sees almost no rain.

The Paraneña

Covering half of the middle and all of the lower portion of Paraguay, the Paraneña region contains the northern Paraneña, southern Paraneña, and Paraná Plateau. Temperatures throughout the region generally range from the fifties to the low nineties. The southern Paraneña and Paraná Plateau don’t have a dry season, and during winter, the whole of the Paraneña region has cold air outbreaks. The northern Paraneña experiences long, hot summers and cool, clear winters with little rain. The southern Paraneña (where the capital city of Asunción is located) has mild winters with alternatively sunny and cloudy days. October to May are its wettest months. The Paraná Plateau, wet and partly cloudy throughout the year, has hot, muggy summers.  The southern Paraneña and Paraná Plateau are best visited in the shoulder seasons of fall and spring (April to mid-May and September respectively), when temperatures are pleasant and cold fronts less likely than winter.

Summer in Paraguay

The longest, sunniest, wettest, and hottest season, summer, sweeps over Paraguay from mid-October to March. Warm sirocco winds blow out of the northeast, and the country's average temperature soars to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius). However, temperatures in the Chaco can reach well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius). Expect days alternating between rain and sunshine due to the wet season running from October to April. The humidity in the Chaco rises to 70 percent, and the rain falls five to eight days each month. Days are long, lasting up to 13.5 hours. Down south in Encarnación, rains fall seven to 10 days per month. The city’s humidity ranges between 73 to 78 percent, and the sun shines up to 10.6 hours each day, though daylight lasts much longer, for 13.8 hours. Asuncion has similar sunshine and daylight hours, and rain falls seven to eight days per month.

What to pack: Sunblock, a water bottle, lightweight clothing, sunglasses, a hat, flip flops, and a raincoat are summer essentials. If heading to the south, take a sweatshirt.

Fall in Paraguay

Hot and rainy, this short transitional season runs from April through May. Fall has the high temps of summer, but they progressively lower throughout the season. The weather doesn't get significantly cool until mid-May when cold winds start blowing. High temps generally rise to the mid or low seventies in the Paraneña region and the low eighties in the Chaco. Expect cool nights with temps in the low to high fifties throughout the country. This is the most humid season in the Chaco (70 percent), but rainfall is low, with an average of only 1.5 inches during May. The rest of the country sees much more rain, with Asunción, Cuidad del Este, and Encarnación each having 13 days of showers in May alone. Though rainy, the pleasant temperatures and more moderate weather (before the winds come) can make this a great time to see the whole of the country.

What to pack: Take a raincoat, umbrella, and waterproof shoes. T-shirts, jeans, lightweight clothing that dries easily, sunblock, sneakers, flip flops, and a water bottle will help to keep you comfortable in both warm and cool weather.

Winter in Paraguay

The driest and second-longest season in the country, winter spans June to August. Temperatures throughout the country range from 42 to 71 degrees Fahrenheit (5.5 to 21.6 degrees Celsius). Parts of the Chaco see no rain in July, while others only have three days of rain per month. Days in the Chaco shorten slightly but still last for 11 hours. In the south, cold winds blow from May to September, sometimes causing light frosts. Daytime temps stay mild, though, generally in the seventies. Precipitation decreases slightly, with only 4 to 6 inches (152 millimeters) of water falling seven to eight days per month. In August, winds begin to pick up to 6 mph (but can reach up to 99 mph in the far south), and daylight lasts for 10 to 11 hours per day.

What to pack: Shorts, t-shirts, jeans, a light coat, sweater, and sneakers should be sufficient for cool and warm weather. Sunblock and a hat might be needed, while a raincoat or an umbrella definitely will be in the south.

Spring in Paraguay

Spanning the month of September, Spring is Paraguay’s shortest month. Wind speeds drop only slightly throughout the country, ranging from 7.5 to 5.5 mph, and the temperature increases slowly, rising from the high seventies to the low eighties. The hours of sunshine also increase around a
half to a full hour throughout the country, and daylight increases to about 12 hours per day. While the Chaco sees almost no rain, the whole of the Paraneña region experiences moderate rainstorms during this season.

What to pack: Pack a raincoat and waterproof shoes, plus sunblock and sunglasses. Take T-shirts, a sweatshirt, jeans, sneakers, flip flops, and light clothing you can layer.