Settling In 93not altogether uncomfortable. Summer evenings are cool and
refreshing. You will notice the lush lawns and overflowing
window boxes in the residential areas of Santiago. Yet
because the summer is so dry, it is only with constant
watering that these beautiful gardens stay alive.
In northern Chile the weather remains mild all year long.
Temperatures average 27°C (80.6 F) in summer and 14°C
(57°F) in winter. In the Lake District, it rains most of the
year and never gets really hot in the summer, although
there are pronounced seasons. Average temperatures in
the summer months hover around 20°C (68°F) and fall to
4°C (39.2°F) in the winter. Temperatures in the extreme
south drop below freezing and strong winds make it feel
even colder. The south receives over 2,300 mm (90 inches)
of rain a year, and the islands of western Patagonia receive
over 4,100 mm (160 inches) of rain a year!
TIME ZONE
Chilean time is four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time
during mid-March to October (daylight savings time during
the winter) and is three hours behind for the remainder
of the year. Because of Chile’s elongated shape, the entire
country is in the same time zone.
POLLUTION
The major health concern in Santiago is air pollution.
Although emission levels are relatively similar to the ones
encountered in other large cities, geography makes pollution
a serious problem. Santiago lies in a valley between two
mountain ranges. This causes the contaminants to become
trapped over the city. Everyday a thick layer of smog hangs
over the downtown area and slowly travels eastward to the
affluent neighbourhoods at the base of the mountains. For
this reason it is said to be ‘democratic’ pollution.
The smog is responsible for a high incidence of respiratory
diseases and premature deaths. The situation is worse in
winter when children and older citizens are severely affected.
Rain is the only effective manner of ridding the city of the
smog. Following a downpour, the sky is clear and the snow-