Lima Travel Forum

We will be in Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu from late September. I realize it will be about spring, but what will the weather be like, and what kind of dress is typical at that time (is it warm enough for sandals/sleeveless tops, or would layering be a good idea?)

Lima will be a bit warmer than Buenos Aires at this time of year, only by a few degrees however, so still think layers. Cusco will have average day time temps will be in the high 60's F, but COLD at night into the 30's. Remember you will be at 11,000 plus feet in altitude so the nights cool off fast.

suerte
SAM

Lima will be cool, while the rainy season starts in the Andean region. As previously suggested, dress in layers. Also, bring your rain gear.

Goodluck & enjoy your trip to Peru!

Rainy season does not begin until December and goes until about April.

Sam

September (toward the latter part) is definitely the start of the rainy season as we were told this fact by our trekking agency in Cusco during our prebooking (5 mos. in advance in April of last year). Our selection of the 1st week September for our Inca Trail trek was based on this weather info.

Please see this link re: weather in the Andes:

http://www.mundoandino.com/Peru/Climate-of-Peru

It indicates (as validated by our Cusco-based trekking agency) that rainy season starts in September, but peaks between Jan-March.

Goodluck!

It seems you have been given some bad information, you might check here, scroll down to the heading Rain and Humidity but here is an excerpt/


While the rainy season in Machu Picchu lasts from December to March, the dry and sunny season lasts from April to November or December.

http://www.enjoy-machu-picchu.org/machu-picchu-general-information-the-climate.php

September is wonderful with rainfall averages of less than one inch for the month. If you need further clarification you can check this link for Cusco at Weather.com

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/PEXX0008?from=search

suerte
SAM

And forgot one additional link from the official Peru Tourism web site for Cusco
http://www.peru.info/e_ftociudadeseng.asp?pdr=1195&jrq=3.7.1.3&ic=2&ids=3954

CLIMATE
The city has a semi-dry and cold climate. The annual average maximum temperature is 19.6ºC (67.3ºF) and the minimum is 4.2ºC (39.6ºF). The rainy season starts in November and ends in March, and it is the time when the mountains are covered in green. Between June and July is the time of the intense cold (heladas) even with occasional snowfalls.

Suerte
SAM

I appreciate the links; however, I actually happen to believe the information provided to me by our trekking agency & that earlier website I posted above. I believe them wholeheartedly because they know the area well, they live there & conduct business there. They happen to be the best agency in Cusco and depend on people's business for their survival, so why shouldn't their info be accurate? There wouldn't be a need to lie or concoct information for the sheer pleasure of it. Plus, with global warming, that November rainy season start that I see being published by Andean travel/tourist sites can be unpredictable with an early or later start. And there are surprisingly chances of rain even in the so-called "dry" season!

Goodluck!

Unreal, I would certainly disregard the Peruvian Tourism web site, the Machu Picchu tourism web site and Weather.com for accurate information on the climate and conditions in and around Cusco during the month of September. They obviously have not consulted your climatologist/tour guide for the correct information.

I do admire your conviction and willingness to disregard any credible facts but if you would bother to do any research you would quickly discover that your tour agent is the only one reporting this radical change in the months for the rainy season.

Here are some additional sites, not for you but for the OP so they might confirm with credible information..this from the Cusco Tourism web site

http://www.cusco-peru.org/cusco-information-cusco-weather-climate.shtml
RAIN: Cusco has a special weather due to he height at which it is located as well as its closeness to the Equator. There are just 2 well-defined seasons: a dry season and a rainy one. The dry season goes from May to October and the rainy season goes from November to April.

The Global Warming site
Global Warming/Climate Change for
Cuzco, Peru
http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/p/PR84686.php
indicating September rainfall of 22.4 mm of rain, which in inches would be 0.88188976378048

The BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT001930

which shows rainfall in September to be 25mm as opposed to 167 mm during the real rainy season in January.

And the Servicio Nacional de Metereología e Hidrología del Perú
http://www.senamhi.gob.pe/

suerte
Sam

Unreal, I would certainly disregard the Peruvian Tourism web site, the Machu Picchu tourism web site and Weather.com for accurate information on the climate and conditions in and around Cusco during the month of September. They obviously have not consulted your climatologist/tour guide for the correct information.

I do admire your conviction and willingness to disregard any credible facts but if you would bother to do any research you would quickly discover that your tour agent is the only one reporting this radical change in the months for the rainy season.

Here are some additional sites, not for you but for the OP so they might confirm with credible information..this from the Cusco Tourism web site

http://www.cusco-peru.org/cusco-information-cusco-weather-climate.shtml
RAIN: Cusco has a special weather due to he height at which it is located as well as its closeness to the Equator. There are just 2 well-defined seasons: a dry season and a rainy one. The dry season goes from May to October and the rainy season goes from November to April.

The Global Warming site
Global Warming/Climate Change for
Cuzco, Peru
http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/p/PR84686.php
indicating September rainfall of 22.4 mm of rain, which in inches would be 0.88188976378048

The BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT001930

which shows rainfall in September to be 25mm as opposed to 167 mm during the real rainy season in January.

And the Servicio Nacional de Metereología e Hidrología del Perú
http://www.senamhi.gob.pe/

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Sam

All this info still points to the possibility of rain even in September. My personal experience happens to corroborate this potentiality. So, the learning in this particular forum should be to BRING some sort of rain gear to avoid getting wet. In the cold Andean mountains, being wet can be a recipe for hypothermia.

Goodluck!

So we have gone from your initial statement of "September (toward the latter part) is definitely the start of the rainy season" to the "possibility of rain". The possibility of rain is not the start of the rainy season which was your POINT.

Come on, if you bother to read any of my previous posts I never said that there was NO Possibility of rain only that September was NOT the rainy season. And again if you bothered to check my posts the monthly averages for September are 22.4 mm's of rain. Less than one inch. But I know let's not be confused with the facts

Unreal...

You know, my prior stance on this issue remains the same and it is based on info from the people in the "grounds." The last statement I made re: the possibility of rain in September was based on your last post with more weather-related links. Again, the learning from all of this is found in my last post.

Goodluck!

Hi MStars

I live in Lima, so he temperature (in September) will be a little cold (15°-16°Centig. approx.). It is not warm, so we don't use sandals/sleeveless tops.

SANDRO.

I can only speak from my own experience - was there September/October 2 years ago - Lima was pleasant in short sleeves with a long sleeved top in the evening. Didn't rain as I recall. Arrived at Agua Calientes in full sun - awoke to a downpour (5am) and slowly peeled off my 5 layers when the afternoon became utterly gorgeous! Always take more than you need - if you have hips like mine, they will carry what you can't wear!

Hi, by these days in Lima, well, some days are cold, some days are sunny. Sometimes, it's sunny afternoons, so u can wear sandals and sleeveless tops. And, in september, i think, it will be the same, sunny days, cold days. But u will enjoy the sun. REmember that there is humidity in Lima.
I have gone several times to Cusco. As someone said, better you have to go sheltered well.
Regards,
Pool