Venezuela Climate Zones: A Detailed Analysis

Venezuela's Diverse Climate Zones

Venezuela experiences a wide range of climatic conditions. Rainfall varies significantly, from less than 400 mm annually in coastal areas to over 4000 mm per year in the south. Average daily temperatures range from above 28°C to below 0°C in the Andean highlands.

According to the Köppen climate classification, Venezuela has the following climate types:

• Tropical Desert (Arid)

  Found in coastal areas of Falcón and Sucre, the Gulf of Cariaco, the islands of Coche and Cubagua, and the Restinga area on Margarita Island.

• Tropical Steppe (Semiarid)

  Located in the northern parts of Zulia and Falcón, the Lara-Falcón depression, the central coastal area, the Unare depression, parts of Sucre state towards the Gulf of Cariaco, and much of Margarita Island.

• Tropical Savanna

  Spans the plains, foothills of the coastal mountains and Andes, much of Zulia and Lara, the northern part of Bolívar, the Great Plains, parts of the coasts of Falcón and Yaracuy, and parts of the coast to the Gulf of Paria.

• Tropical Monsoon

  A transitional belt between tropical savanna and tropical forest, found in the foothills of Perijá, south and parts of the eastern and southeastern coast of Lake Maracaibo, parts of the coast of Sucre State and the Turimiquire foothills, parts of Delta Amacuro, Bolívar, and Amazonas, the foothills of the San Luis mountains (Falcón), and the shoreline (Yaracuy, Carabobo, Aragua, and Miranda).

• Tropical Forest

  Located in the Perijá and San Luis mountains, south of Lake Maracaibo, Windward, the eastern parts of Delta Amacuro and Bolívar, southern Bolívar, and throughout Amazonas.

• Temperate Rainforest

  Found at higher elevations in Bolívar and Amazonas, the highest parts of the highlands, Perijá and Turimiquire on both sides of the Andes, and in El Nil, Táchira.

• Temperate Highland

  Located in much of the Andes.

• Paramo Highland

  Found in areas above 3000m in the Andes.

• Glacial Highland

  Located in the snowy peaks of the Andes.

Generally, the coldest months are December and January, and the warmest are March and April. However, in the plains, the coldest months are often July to September due to high rainfall.