Argentina experiences four dramatically different types of climate:: warm, moderate, arid and cold. This is largely thanks to the territory’s extension and the features of its relief.
The subtropical type of climate is classified under the “warm climates” entry and can be experienced in provinces of Misiones and Corrientes, the northern area of Entre Ríos and the eastern section of the Chaco region. Characterized by the lack of a dry season, other main features of subtropical climates include temperatures and abundant rainfall the whole year round.
Argentina’s tropical zone part of Salta, the west of Formosa and Chaco, the eastern plains of Tucumán, nearly the whole of Santiago del Estero and the NW Santa Fe. Although it does experience a dry season that usually coincides with the first half of the year, it also shares most of the characteristics of the subtropical zone. A more tropical highland climate is found in mountainous area that includes the sub–Andean hills, its valleys and gullies.
The province of Buenos Aires, a large area of Entre Rios, centre and south of Santa Fe, the eastern strip of Cordoba as well as a part of the NE of La Pampa all fall under the moderate climate division. Among these zones a moderate pampeano climate is the main feature of the areas along the banks of the Paraná and La Plata rivers. Along the edge bordering the subtropical climate is the moderate variety with no winter season, characterised by the lack of a definite cold period.
The Buenos Aires Province littoral, the Mar del Plata and the Necochea area experience moderate climate patters with moderate temperatures brought in by the influence of the sea, while the Cordoba hills and their valleys have a more mild type of climate. There is also a transition belt towards the west, where the area of moderate climate derives into a region of arid climate.
The arid climates can be experienced in the high plateau called La Puna, Catamarca's Andes, La Rioja and San Juan, the neighbouring areas enjoying pre-andean climate Patagonia extra–andean.
In the high plateau and the Andes, from Catamarca down to Mendoza climate is described as arid mountain, while to the east of the arid Andes there is the arid climate of the hills and fields, which roughly involves the area of the Pampas hills.
Down to the south of the region of hills and plains the climate becomes arid steppe, which ends at the foot of the mountain chain in the west, finally losing its aridity in the south of Mendoza. To the east it borders the transition belt and to the south, between 40º and 42º south parallels, the climate becomes patagonian cold arid. The humid strip of the Patagonian Andes is characterised by a progression of rains that occur N to S, as well as low temperatures, scarce rainfall and strong snow storms during winter.
The humid–austral climate includes a strip of Santa Cruz province, at the south of the previous zone, and the province of Tierra del Fuego, although in the high mountains the climate changes yet again, becoming snowy. Another common feature of the regions of the Patagonian plateau is the lack of a summer period of moderate temperatures and the heavier rainfalls it receives. The snowy climate is of glacial type and includes the strip of austral cordillera, in the zone of continental ice of Santa Cruz and in glaciers spots in the high Patagonian mountain chain.
Isla de los Estados has an oceanic cold climate, with misty weather, cold temperatures through out the year, frequent storms and abundant snowy rainfalls. The oceanic type of climate is more defined in the Malvinas Islands, with no temperature peaks, scarcely moderate summers and not-so-cold winters. Islas Orcadas experience a snowy climate; almost the whole surface of the islands is covered by glaciers, and the sea ice only yields access for a few weeks in January.
