Salar de Uyuni records about 178mm of rain across roughly 42 wet days a year, which is a 12% chance on an average day. January is the wettest month at 45mm (25% of the annual total) and June the driest at 1mm. Local rain type: thunderstorms. The dry season (May-October) sees almost zero rain. The wet season (December-March) brings afternoon thunderstorms that create the famous mirror effect — 1-2cm of standing water is ideal for photography.
Chance of rain on an average day: 12%
Rainfall climatology for Salar de Uyuni. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Annual rainfall | 178mm |
| Rain days per year | 42 |
| Odds on an average day | 12% |
| Wettest month | January — 45mm over 10 days |
| Driest month | June — 1mm over 1 days |
| Rain type | thunderstorms |
| Best dry window | May through October is bone-dry with clear skies — hexagonal salt patterns are visible and vehicle access is reliable. |
| Worst rain window | January through March brings the heaviest rain — some areas become impassable, but the mirror reflections peak during this window. |
January delivers 4400% more rain than June (45mm vs 1mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
25% of the year's rain falls in January alone, so Salar de Uyuni has a genuine wet season rather than evenly spread showers.
Salar de Uyuni rain arrives in short, heavy bursts — shelter and timing matter more than gear.
Rain falls on about 10 days in January against 1 in June — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.
Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.
| Month | Rainfall | Rain days | Chance on a given day | Highs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 45mm | 10 | 33% | 15°C |
| February | 35mm | 8 | 27% | 15°C |
| March | 25mm | 6 | 20% | 14°C |
| April | 5mm | 1 | 3% | 13°C |
| May | 2mm | 1 | 3% | 12°C |
| June | 1mm | 1 | 3% | 11°C |
| July | 1mm | 1 | 3% | 10°C |
| August | 3mm | 1 | 3% | 10°C |
| September | 8mm | 2 | 7% | 11°C |
| October | 12mm | 3 | 10% | 12°C |
| November | 18mm | 4 | 13% | 13°C |
| December | 28mm | 6 | 20% | 14°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Salar de Uyuni we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly probability | 40% | Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours. |
| Expected volume | 30% | Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking. |
| Timing & duration | 20% | When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window. |
| Local rain type | 10% | Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear. |
Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.
Salar de Uyuni records rain on roughly 42 days a year — about a 12% chance on any given day — totalling around 178mm.
January, with about 45mm over 10 rain days. That is 25% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
June is the driest month at 1mm across roughly 1 days. May through October is bone-dry with clear skies — hexagonal salt patterns are visible and vehicle access is reliable.
The dry season (May-October) sees almost zero rain. The wet season (December-March) brings afternoon thunderstorms that create the famous mirror effect — 1-2cm of standing water is ideal for photography.
No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.