Paraguay is a landlocked country south of the equator, bordered by Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia. Its climate is subtropical, with hot, wet summers and mild, drier winters, and it comes in two versions: the humid east around Asunción, and the Chaco in the west, which is hotter and far drier. The tables below give the official climate averages for one weather station in each.
| Month | Avg high °F (°C) | Avg low °F (°C) | Rainfall in (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 93 (34.0) | 74 (23.1) | 5.2 (133) |
| February | 91 (33.0) | 73 (22.5) | 5.7 (146) |
| March | 89 (31.9) | 71 (21.5) | 5.2 (131) |
| April | 85 (29.2) | 66 (18.9) | 6.0 (152) |
| May | 77 (24.9) | 60 (15.5) | 5.3 (134) |
| June | 74 (23.5) | 58 (14.2) | 2.8 (71) |
| July | 74 (23.6) | 55 (12.9) | 1.9 (48) |
| August | 79 (26.2) | 58 (14.6) | 1.5 (39) |
| September | 82 (27.9) | 62 (16.5) | 3.1 (79) |
| October | 86 (30.1) | 67 (19.5) | 6.2 (158) |
| November | 88 (31.2) | 69 (20.3) | 7.7 (195) |
| December | 91 (32.8) | 72 (22.2) | 6.9 (176) |
| Year | 84 (29.0) | 65 (18.5) | 57.6 (1,462) |
| Month | Avg high °F (°C) | Avg low °F (°C) | Rainfall in (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 97 (36.1) | 74 (23.1) | 4.7 (119) |
| February | 95 (34.8) | 73 (22.7) | 4.7 (119) |
| March | 92 (33.6) | 71 (21.5) | 4.2 (107) |
| April | 88 (30.9) | 66 (19.0) | 2.8 (70) |
| May | 81 (27.1) | 60 (15.5) | 1.5 (38) |
| June | 79 (26.0) | 57 (14.0) | 0.8 (21) |
| July | 80 (26.7) | 55 (12.6) | 0.3 (7) |
| August | 86 (30.2) | 58 (14.6) | 0.3 (8) |
| September | 91 (32.7) | 63 (17.3) | 0.6 (16) |
| October | 95 (34.8) | 69 (20.8) | 2.1 (53) |
| November | 95 (35.1) | 71 (21.6) | 3.5 (89) |
| December | 96 (35.7) | 73 (22.9) | 4.4 (113) |
| Year | 90 (32.0) | 66 (18.8) | 29.9 (760) |
These are the World Meteorological Organization’s 1991–2020 climate normals for each station, published by NOAA: 30-year averages, not a forecast. For the week you travel, Paraguay’s national weather service, the Dirección de Meteorología e Hidrología (DMH), publishes the daily forecast and any warnings.
Paraguay is in the southern hemisphere, so its seasons run opposite to North America’s and Europe’s. Summer, December to February, brings the hottest month, January, with average highs of 93°F (34.0°C) in Asunción and 97°F (36.1°C) in the Chaco. Nights stay warm, around 74°F (23.1°C).
Winter runs from June to August, and July is the coldest month of the year, in the east and the Chaco alike. Winter afternoons are pleasant: Asunción averages 74°F (23.5°C) in June and July. Nights are cool, 55°F (12.9°C) on average in July, and cooler still in the far south, where Encarnación averages 50°F (10.2°C).
In Asunción it rains steadily from October through May, 5 to 8 inches (131 to 195 mm) a month, with November the wettest. June to September is the drier stretch, and August the driest month at 1.5 inches (39 mm).
By the definition NOAA uses, a tropical climate needs every month above 64°F (18°C) and more than 59 inches of rain a year. Asunción falls just short on both counts, with July at 63.5°F (17.5°C) and 57.6 inches (1,462 mm) a year. The Chaco is warm enough but far too dry, so neither is tropical.
Rain falls off from east to west. The east is humid and wet all year: the airport near Ciudad del Este records 73 inches (1,856 mm) a year, Encarnación 71 inches (1,804 mm), and even their driest month, August, brings about 3 inches (80 mm).
The Chaco gets about half of Asunción’s rain, 29.9 inches (760 mm) a year, and four-fifths of it falls between October and March. From May to September Mariscal Estigarribia averages 1.5 inches or less a month, and July and August see about a third of an inch (7 to 8 mm).
The heat is the Chaco’s defining feature. Average highs reach about 95°F (35°C) or more from October through February, and the country’s hottest readings come from here: 113°F (45°C) at Pratts Gill in November 2009 and at Pozo Colorado in October 2014, and 113°F (44.8°C) at Mariscal Estigarribia in January 2025. Dry months and heat also bring fire risk, which the DMH tracks with a heat-spot and fire-risk service.
The Chaco is isolated, and exploring it alone can be risky. Read our Paraguay safety notes before you plan a drive.
Asunción gets hot too: its record is 109°F (43°C), set in October 2023. Try to stay out of the midday sun, and hydrate regularly when temperatures rise this high. See our staying healthy page before you go.
One recent DMH yearbook logged most severe storms, with strong winds and hail, between August and December, and a single day can bring more than a month of rain: Asunción’s wettest day on record brought 8.7 inches (221.9 mm) on February 25, 2014. The DMH issues warnings and special bulletins when storms are coming, and it is worth checking them before a long road day. In the east, make sure to pack an umbrella or a light rain jacket for the frequent showers; our Paraguay packing list covers the rest.
Winter weather can turn quickly. A cold front arrives with south winds and a marked drop in temperature, and the cold air behind it can bring frost, which recent DMH bulletins placed mostly in the center, south and east and in the southern and western Chaco. Frost comes mainly between June and August, and most stations have a record low below freezing: 30°F (−1.2°C) in Asunción in June 2011, 21°F (−6°C) in Encarnación, and 19°F (−7.5°C) at Pratts Gill in the Chaco in July 2000. Even on a warm-weather trip, bring a warm layer for winter nights.
The Jesuit missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue, UNESCO World Heritage ruins in Itapúa near Encarnación, sit in the wet southeast. October is Encarnación’s wettest month at 9.4 inches (239 mm), and there is no truly dry season, so leave a spare half day in case a storm rolls through. Temperatures swing with the seasons here: winter afternoons average 72°F (22.2°C), summer afternoons 91°F (32.8°C), which makes a summer visit an early-morning one. Our Jesuit missions tours can be shaped either way.
For the Chaco, we recommend June and July, the coolest months, with highs around 79 to 80°F (26 to 27°C) and almost no rain. August is just as dry but already noticeably hotter, at 86°F (30.2°C). Our Asunción, Chaco and Iguazú Falls tour is one way to see it.
For how the seasons fit festivals and the rest of a trip, see the best time to visit Paraguay. If you would like a custom Paraguay trip, share your dates when you get in touch, and our Destination Consultants will design the route around the weather you will actually meet. Or start with our Paraguay tours.
