Uruguay Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Montevideo, Salto, Paysandú, Las Piedras, and Rivera
Summary
July brought a shift to milder conditions across Uruguay after a distinctly chilly start to the South American winter, with temperatures averaging 12.42°C. That sits 1.1°C above the 1961-1990 baseline, ranking as the 21st warmest July in 87 years of records. The mild conditions provided relief following a cold late autumn and early winter that left Uruguay with the lowest three-month temperature anomaly of any tracked country or region on Earth. The broader climate picture is being shaped by a moderate El Niño forecast to peak at Very Strong in Oct-Dec with an 81% probability. Warmer-than-average temperatures are expected to persist across the country in the coming months.
This month in numbers
Uruguay recorded an average temperature of 12.42°C during July 2026, placing it +1.1°C above the 1961-1990 average and marking the 21st warmest occurrence of the month on record since 1940. This local warmth coincided with significant heat across the globe, as global land surface temperatures averaged 15.8°C (+1.6°C anomaly), making it the 3rd warmest July recorded worldwide.
What changed
The mild month contrasted sharply with the preceding season. Over the May to July quarter, Uruguay recorded an average temperature of 11.56°C, which was 0.7°C below the 1961-1990 baseline and ranked 75th of 87 years (making it the 13th coolest). Across 232 tracked countries and regions, Uruguay ranked 232nd of 232 for three-month temperature anomaly (-0.71°C), making it the coolest region relative to baseline on Earth over that period. On a twelve-month rolling basis, Uruguay ranked 231st of 232 globally with a modest anomaly of +0.26°C, even as the global May to July land average reached its 2nd highest level on record (+1.5°C anomaly).
What’s driving change?
Uruguay’s persistent winter cold spell before July was driven by regional atmospheric variations and jet stream shifts that drew Antarctic polar air northwards across southern South America. Meanwhile, the overarching ocean-atmosphere driver in the tropical Pacific is ENSO, where NOAA’s Relative Niño Index confirms a moderate El Niño with an anomaly of +0.98°C. El Niño events historically bring increased rainfall and milder conditions to Uruguay and the wider Rio de la Plata basin during the late spring and summer months, as tracked on ENSO.
Looking ahead
Seasonal outlooks from the national meteorological service indicate a 40% probability of above-average temperatures across Uruguay over the August to October quarter as El Niño continues to intensify.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Uruguay
Köppen Cfa · TemperateUruguay has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. January is typically the warmest month, averaging 24.2°C, while July is the coldest at 11.3°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1148mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly precipitation.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Uruguay
Right axis: everything else standardized to standard deviations (σ) from its own average, since mm/hours/days aren't directly comparable to °C or to each other.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Uruguay
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI heatwave measure: days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Uruguay
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Uruguay
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Uruguay
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfa · TemperateHow spring and autumn have shifted in Uruguay. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (17.3°C, from 1940–1969); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 12.2°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Oct (+0.8°C).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
Explore
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Uruguay
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Uruguay changing?
Uruguay is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Uruguay?
Uruguay has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. January is typically the warmest month, averaging 24.2°C, while July is the coldest at 11.3°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1148mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Uruguay come from?
Climate data for Uruguay comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Uruguay climate data cover?
The Uruguay climate profile covers Montevideo, Salto, Paysandú, Las Piedras and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Uruguay
How often is the Uruguay climate update refreshed?
The Uruguay climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Uruguay climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Uruguay climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.