The numbers first: in November, December and January the daily peak gust averages 64 km/h at the height of Laguna de los Tres; in May, June and July, 52 km/h. Summer blows 25 % harder than winter.
The anticyclone moves house
The engine of the westerlies is the pressure difference between the South Pacific anticyclone, near 30 degrees, and the lows ringing Antarctica, near 60. In summer the anticyclone strengthens and shifts south, following the sun. The pressure difference tightens right over Patagonia, between 45 and 55 degrees, and the wind grows. In winter the anticyclone moves north, the storms pass further south and sometimes further north, and over El Chaltén still, cold days remain, until a southerly gale arrives with snow.
The sun helps the wind
There is a second, more local reason. In summer the sun heats the steppe east of the range for 15 or 16 hours; hot air rises and cold air from the ice and the Pacific comes in to replace it. It is a giant sea breeze, hundreds of kilometres wide, added to the background west wind. In winter, with 8 hours of daylight and snow on the ground, that engine barely runs.
What it means for you
- Spring (October to December)
- The windiest days of the year, with snow on the high trails until November. Lots of daylight, few tourists. For people who do not scare easily.
- Summer (January and February)
- Windy but stable; the good days are many and long. High season.
- Autumn (March and April)
- The wind eases, the colours change, short stays get better odds. Our favourite.
- Winter (May to September)
- Calm and cold. Low trails open, high ones depending on snow. Fitz Roy shows itself more days than in summer.
If you come in summer, keep the big hike for the calmest day of your stay, not the first one. We move it at no cost.
The live wind map, the wind on the trail right now and the full guide to the Patagonian wind: Read more →
Questions
Which season is windiest in Patagonia?
Spring and summer, October to February. The Pacific anticyclone shifts south following the sun and tightens the pressure difference over Patagonia.
Is winter calm?
Much more so. In El Chaltén the daily peak gust averages 52 km/h in winter against 64 in summer. But there are southerly gales with snow and the days are short.
Why is wind a winter thing in Europe and a summer thing here?
In Europe the engine is the North Atlantic storms, stronger in winter. Here the engine is the pressure gradient between the subtropical high and Antarctica, which tightens over Patagonia when the high moves south in summer.