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The coast of Per
.
The
National Reserve of Paracas
Geography
and Climate
The
general relief of the National Reserve of Paracas
is flat with elevations located in the eastern
part of the reserve and separated y corridors
of varying width. The profile of the coastline
is capricious and emphasized by geographical
accidents like the Bahía de Paracas, the Península
de Paracas, Punta Carreta, the Bahía de la Independencia,
Morro Quemado, Punta Gallinazo and the islands
Independencia and San Gallán.
©
Heinz Plenge
The
sinking of the former mountain range along the
coast - known as the "Cordillera de la
Costa" (Mountain chain of the coast) can
be recognized in the Bahía de la Independencia,
the island Independencia, the Península de Paracas
or the island San Gallán. The maximum altitudes
are held by the mountain Morro Quemado at 786
meters above sea level and by the mountain Cerro
Lechuza at 501 meters above sea level. There
are also depressions like the one of
Salinas de Otuma with maximum 9 meters
under sea level and an average of 5 meters under
sea level.
©
Heinz Plenge
The
climate of the Reserve is the one of a subtropical
desert. The average difference in temperature
between the coolest and the hottest month is
about 6 to 8 degrees Celsius: in February the
average temperature is
22° C, while in august it is about 15.5°
C. The annual average temperature is 18.7 °
C. There are no rains in Paracas. A very little
amount of water (1.83 mm per year in the north
of the reserve) is generated by condensation
of winter fog. The relative humidity is about
82 %, with 83 % in winter.
The
average altitude of the clouds is at 590 meters,
which leads to the phenomenon that in Paracas
the sun shines even in winter.
The
dominant winds are south and southeast, reaching
an average wind speed of 14.9 Km/h. Sometimes
they can reach a maximum wind speed of
32 Km/h. These are the strongest winds
of the Peruvian littoral, known as "Paraca".
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