Lima - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Moderate year round, though cloudy for about half the year. It almost never rains. Never that cold and never that hot. You may need a warm coat for a few weeks per year. The sun is strong. - Dec 2024
Climate is relatively narrow. Currently experiencing an unusually cold winter for Lima, which means in the 50s when the sun goes down. Summer means 80s. Almost never actually rains - happened maybe once in the past year and would not have been anything to notice in the US - but fairly often mists. - Jul 2022
Lima: hot December - March, cold July - October, spring or fall weather the other times and it's always humid. It rarely rains. - Oct 2018
Generally mild. Summers are hot and sunny. The winters are gray and damp, but I never needed more than a light jacket to stay comfortable. It never rains in Lima, but the winters are damp and foggy. - Mar 2018
Depends on the time of year, though it's usually pretty mild. We had a hot, sunny summer, and winter will be grey and soggy. It never rains in Lima though (though areas outside the city had plenty of problems from crazy El Nino storms recently). - Apr 2017
Lima is a humid desert with no sun. Moisture is constantly in the air, but it doesn't rain. Winters can feel quite cool because of the damp air. - Jul 2016
Gross and depressing 9 months out of the year, especially in Miraflores. If you need sun, do not live in Lima. It is grey and does not rain. - Sep 2015
It never rains here in Lima. If you will miss the rain, don't come here. Weather is mild all year long, between high 50's in the dead of winter to low 80's in the hottest part of summer. It is generally overcast almost all year long in the coastal part of Lima (San Isidro & Miraflores). You can go a week without seeing a ray of sunshine on the coast. - Sep 2015
On the coast (Lima) the climate is mild all year. Summers (Dec-Mar) are sunny with highs in the mid- to upper- seventies (F); winters (Jun-Aug) have many cloudy and foggy days with temps about ten degrees cooler. Much of the coastal climate is driven by the offshore Humboldt Current, which keeps it cool and often foggy. Very little "weather" here; the Andes wring out all moisture so it almost never rains, but cool ocean breezes can bring drizzle at times. Inland has two distinct seasons - wet in the summer and dry winters. Thunderstorms are not uncommon, particularly in the Amazon region. - May 2015
Temperature-wise, Lima is great. It never gets unbearably cold (the coldest point in winter is around the 50s F), and the long summer season isn't too hot. But other than that, weather in Lima is not pleasant. The months of January, February, and March are full on sunshine, but for the rest of the year you might never see the sun. There is this constant grey layer of clouds that blankets the sky. If you see shadows outside your window, it's kind of a miracle. Another thing about these clouds is that they NEVER RAIN. It might mist at 5 am twice a year, but aside from that water will never fall from the sky. I personally find this to be a negative thing, but some people appreciate the opportunities that this presents for outside parties etc. - Apr 2015
Climate stinks in Lima--grey, overcast, drizzly for at least 6 months of the year. Summer is lovely but very short. - Sep 2014
A humid desert, as strange as that sounds. While Lima has lush green parks, the natural climate is arid hills without a spec of vegetation. It is cloudy 8 months out of the year, especially in the areas by the Pacific where you won't see the sun for months on end. The areas further inland, near the U.S. Embassy see more sun during the winter (June - August) but it's still dreary and miserable. But then it never rains, just gets misty because as the humidity approaches 100%. Combine that with the dirt and soot and there's a layer of filth on everything during the cloudy months. The short summers (December - February) are warm and glorious but pass much too quickly. - Apr 2014
About 8 months of the year, Lima is overcast, foggy, damp, and cool, but never cold. Summer can reach the mid 80s F with always sunny days and most Limenos leaving the city on weekends for the beach. - Mar 2014
The climate is very similar to Seattle. Weather highs are between 60-80F year round. Summer is idyllic, with comfortable temps and sun. Winter, on the other hand, is almost unbearable. For those of us living on the ocean, we'll be lucky to see the sun a handful of times during the 5 months of winter. I didn't think this would bother me, but it really has taken a toll on my mood. Those who live closer to the Embassy in Surco, La Molina and Camacho do experience sun more frequently in the afternoon during winter. - Aug 2013
Summer (Dec-Mar) is warm and sunny, while winter (May-Sep) is damp and chilly, with daytime highs in the upper 50s. It doesn't really rain in Lima, although there is often a winter drizzle, and the gray skies of winter can be very depressing. - Jul 2013
There are really two seasons. In winter you have 5-6 months of grey, humid, and overcast weather. Summers are warm--and sometimes even hot-- with sunny, blue skies. - Jul 2013
Foggy all year 'round with some sunny days. I felt that due to the lack of rain my skin was always dirty and my shoes and clothes would get dirty so fast. - Jun 2013
It never rains in Lima, although "garúa," or a constant and annoying mist does fall during the winter months. The weather is generally is humid and dry during the summer and humid and cool in the winter. Temperatures range from 50 to 80 degrees F. In the winter, one doesn't need more than a sweater on top of a shirt, and in summer shorts and flip-flops suffice. - Jan 2012
Think San Diego, CA. Cool and humid in winter by the coast; hot, dry and sunny away from the coast. Winters can be glummy, a lot of days of no sun and constant overcast. It does not rain in Lima! Lima is a desert city on the coast. - Jan 2012
Cloudy for most of the year, but hardly ever any rain - seriously, no rain. If the overcast skies bother you, look to live in La Molina (a neighborhood in Lima), they get significantly more sun than any other area in the city. - Aug 2011
It never rains in Lima - Never. It is cloudy and foggy, though. Especially during the winter months (Dec-Mar). The coldest it gets is about 10c (50F). In the summer it can get really hot during the day 30c-34c (Upper 80s-90s). But most of the year the temperatures are very comfortable 20c (70f). - Jul 2010
Temperatures are pleasant most of the year, even during the winter months. The grey skies however do take their toll on one's attitude. - Jun 2010
In Lima- December through March are very pleasant, warm, good beach weather (have to drive 30 miles from Lima, beaches there are contaminated); April through November is cold, misty and miserable with no sunshine. - Jul 2008
Sunny from October/November to March/April - the rest of the year is generally overcast. It NEVER rains in Lima. - Apr 2008
