Climate:

Santiago, due to its position in the central zone, has a Mediterranean climate with well-defined seasons, which are the reverse of those in the Northern Hemisphere. In general, the climate is mild, and there is a long dry season from September to April.

Rain normally falls between May and September. The rainiest months are June and July, with amounts that exceed 75 mm.

During May the minimum average temperature is 5º C and the maximum average is 18º C. The relative humidity is around 56% and precipitation average is 28 mm.

Clothing.
Winter clothing are recommended during May and June.




Time zone.
Chilean Continental standard time corresponds to the time zone UTC-4:00 (Universal Time Coordinate; formerly, Greenwich Mean Time).
Chile uses a 24-hour military clock (e.g. 3:00 PM is 15:00 hours).
Chile uses the European format for noting dates (Day, Month, Year, e.g. 19 November 1997 is 19-11-1997).

Units.
In Chile, the metric system and the Celsius scale are used.

Electricity.
Electrical voltage in Chile is 220 volts, 50 cycles (220V 50 Hz). All electronic devices designed for 110V require a transformer. All portable appliances, including portable computers, usually have transformers of high voltage (110V-240V) which are adaptable to the Chilean electrical system. Some hotels have 110V lines.

Water.
In general, Santiago's drinking water is completely safe for ingestion. For people who are generally more susceptible to changes in their environments, we suggest drinking only bottled mineral water (you can choose between effervescent water, "con gas" and water without gas, "sin gas") during your first days in Chile. Mineral water is commonly found in supermarkets, corner stores and restaurants.

City Schedules.
In general, shopping malls, restaurants, public performances and public transportation function within the following schedules:

Personal Security.
Santiago is widely known as a safe city for foreign visitors. It is advisable that you take normal safety precautions, against pickpockets for example, avoid interactions with unknown people and keep valuables out of sight, or leave these items at home altogether.