AI-generatedCalama at a glance
- Best time
- All year
- Warmest month
- Dec · 26°
- Sunshine a year
- 3,320 h
- Rain a year
- 39 mm
- Climate
- Dry subtropical
- Time zone
- UTC−3 / UTC−4
- Elevation
- 2,275 m
Climate in Calama
Calama has a dry subtropical climate: mild to warm all year, with very little rain. December is the warmest month with average highs of 26 °C, while June is the coolest at 22 °C. With around 3,320 hours of sunshine a year, Calama is very sunny; November is the sunniest month with 10.7 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Best time to visit Calama
The best time to visit Calama is all year round. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, the weather is pleasant all year round. Rain is a rarity all year: only 39 mm fall in an average year.
Calama through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Calama in spring
Sep – Nov
Excellent
- 24–26 °C by day
- 10.1 h of sun a day
- 0 rainy days in all
Calama in summer
Dec – Feb
Excellent
- 25–26 °C by day
- 9.3 h of sun a day
- 5 rainy days in all
Calama in autumn
Mar – May
Excellent
- 23–25 °C by day
- 8.7 h of sun a day
- 2 rainy days in all
Calama in winter
Jun – Aug
Excellent
- 22–23 °C by day
- 8.2 h of sun a day
- 1 rainy day in all
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No sea nearby
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
All year
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Calama for you.
Your best months: April – May, September
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Weather in October
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Excellent
Best time to visit: all year
Good forSightseeing & walks
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 10°
- Midday, 13:00: about 24°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 25°
- Evening, 20:00: about 18°
- Night, 23:00: about 13°
07:0419:39
Pleasant evenings; a light layer can help.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 06:50–07:34 · evening 19:09–19:53
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:41–06:50 · evening 19:53–20:01
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
October in Calama compared with home
Loading the climate at home …
Early or late October?
In October, daytime highs rise from about 25° at the start of the month to 26° at the end. The days get 0.6 h longer.
| October | 1 Oct | 31 Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime high | 25° | 26° |
| Night-time low | 5° | 7° |
| Daylight | 12.3 h | 12.9 h |
What is the weather like in Calama in October?
In October, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. With around 10.3 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, October is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 12 h 35 min07:04 – 19:39
- UV index
- 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 25 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 12 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC−3offset from UTC
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %100 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %100 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- A jumper for the evenings
Compare two months in Calama
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
October and January bring similar holiday weather to Calama (score 100 and 100). In January, days are 1 °C warmer than in October. January has 2 more rainy days. The sun shines an hour less a day in January.
| Month | October | January |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 100 | 100 |
| Daytime high | 25° | 26° |
| Night-time low | 6° | 10° |
| Sunshine | 10.3 hbetter | 9.0 h |
| Rainy days | 0better | 2 |
| Rainfall | 0 mm | 7 mm |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Calama month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
100January26° · 9.0 h
In January, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. With around 9.0 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, January is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in January98February25° · 8.3 h
In February, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sun shines for around 8.3 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 12 mm in total. All in all, February is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in February100March25° · 8.9 h
In March, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sun shines for around 8.9 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, March is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in March99April25° · 8.8 h
In April, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sun shines for around 8.8 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, April is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in April98May23° · 8.4 h
In May, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sun shines for around 8.4 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in May97June22° · 8.0 h
In June, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 22 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sun shines for around 8.0 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, June is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in June97July22° · 8.0 h
In July, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 22 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sun shines for around 8.0 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, July is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in July99August23° · 8.6 h
In August, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sun shines for around 8.6 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, August is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in August100September24° · 9.4 h
In September, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 24 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. With around 9.4 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, September is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in September100October25° · 10.3 h
In October, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. With around 10.3 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, October is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in October100November26° · 10.7 h
In November, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. With around 10.7 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, November is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in November100December26° · 10.5 h
In December, Calama is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. With around 10.5 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, December is an excellent month for a holiday in Calama.
Calama in DecemberClimate in detail
Year & climate table
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Calama
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
ColdOctober: nights around 6°. The room should be heated.
The coolest nights are in July (3°), the warmest in January (10°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from April to November, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 100 | 26° | 10° | 9.0 h | 2 | 7 |
| FebruaryFeb | 98 | 25° | 10° | 8.3 h | 3 | 12 |
| MarchMar | 100 | 25° | 9° | 8.9 h | 1 | 6 |
| AprilApr | 99 | 25° | 7° | 8.8 h | 0 | 2 |
| MayMay | 98 | 23° | 4° | 8.4 h | 1 | 2 |
| JuneJun | 97 | 22° | 3° | 8.0 h | 0 | 2 |
| JulyJul | 97 | 22° | 3° | 8.0 h | 1 | 3 |
| AugustAug | 99 | 23° | 3° | 8.6 h | 0 | 2 |
| SeptemberSep | 100 | 24° | 5° | 9.4 h | 0 | 1 |
| OctoberOct | 100 | 25° | 6° | 10.3 h | 0 | 0 |
| NovemberNov | 100 | 26° | 7° | 10.7 h | 0 | 0 |
| DecemberDec | 100 | 26° | 9° | 10.5 h | 1 | 2 |
Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
22.46° S, 68.92° W · 2,275 m · America/Santiago
Sunshine
Sunshine hours in Calama
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 10.3 of 12.6 hours of daylight in Calama, 82 % of the daylight hours.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain
Rain in Calama: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, it hardly ever rains in Calama: 0 mm in the whole month.
UV index
UV index in Calama
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 13 · extremeAvoid the midday sun; SPF 50+, covering clothes, hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in December (UV 14).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 10 min
- Fair skin
- about 15 min
- Light brown skin
- about 20 min
- Olive skin
- about 25 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen the time, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Wind & clouds
Wind and clouds in Calama
How breezy and how cloudy Calama is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Calama typically peaks at 25 km/h during the day: Beaufort 4, moderate breeze.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 12 % of the sky over Calama: mostly clear, with about 10.3 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Planning a trip to Calama
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Calama in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Calama has similar weather in all school holidays (scores 98 to 100).
- 99
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Excellent
- 25 °C by day
- 8.8 h of sun a day
- 1 rainy day a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 98
May half-term
May – Jun
Excellent
- 23 °C by day
- 8.3 h of sun a day
- 0 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 98
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Excellent
- 23 °C by day
- 8.4 h of sun a day
- 0 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 100
October half-term
Oct
Excellent
- 25 °C by day
- 10.3 h of sun a day
- 0 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 100
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Excellent
- 26 °C by day
- 9.8 h of sun a day
- 1 rainy day a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 13 h 15 min
- Distance
- 10,570 km
- Time zone
- UTC−3
- Jet lag
- About 3 days (4 h west)
Rule of thumb for flying west: for a few days before, stay up a little later, and get afternoon and evening light at your destination.
Most routes need a change of planes, which adds time.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Good to know: Chile
- Currency
- Chilean Peso (CLP)
- Language
- Spanish
- Sockets
- Type C, L · 220 V
- Traffic
- Drives on the right
- Dialling code
- +56
UK plugs need a travel adapter
Sources: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0). Please check details before you travel.
Compare & alternatives
Compare with another place
Calama compared
Put Calama side by side with another destination.
Calama vs San Pedro de Atacama
In October the holiday weather in Calama and San Pedro de Atacama is about equally good (score 100 vs 100). During the day it is about as warm in San Pedro de Atacama as in Calama.
| in October | Calama | San Pedro de Atacama |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 100 | 100 |
| Daytime high | 25° | 25° |
| Sunshine | 10 h | 10 h |
| Rainy days | 0 | 0 |
| Best time | All year | All year |
Through the year
Best places in the country
Chile in October: the best places
In October, Calama ranks 1 of 25 destinations in this country.
- CalamaThis page25°100
- 2San Pedro de Atacama25°100
- 3Antofagasta18°16°98
- 4Iquique25°18°97
- 5Viña del Mar19°13°95
- 6Valparaíso19°13°95
- 7La Serena18°14°92
- 8Coquimbo18°14°92
Places nearby
Near Calama
Other destinations close by.
Places with a similar climate
Places with a climate like Calama
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Calama's – good alternatives.
Frequently asked questions about Calama
When is the best time to visit Calama?
The best time to visit Calama is all year round. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Calama?
December is the warmest month, with average highs of 26 °C and nights around 9 °C. June is the coolest month at 22 °C.
When does it rain most in Calama?
Rain is a rarity all year: only 39 mm fall in an average year.
How many hours of sunshine does Calama get?
Calama gets around 3,320 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is November with 10.7 hours a day; in June there are 8.0 hours a day.
What time zone is Calama in?
Calama is on UTC−3 in January and UTC−4 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Calama?
A nonstop flight from London to Calama takes about 13 h 15 min, for a straight-line distance of about 10,570 km. Most routes need a change of planes, which adds time.
Which school holidays are best for Calama?
Calama has similar weather in all school holidays (scores 98 to 100). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 99, May half-term 98, summer holidays 98, October half-term 100, Christmas holidays 100.