Cuzco is in a high valley in Peru's Andes Mountains, at an elevation of 3,310 meters or 10,860 feet. This elevation makes for generally cool temperatures, along with a high level of ultraviolet light.
At 13 degrees 31 minutes south latitude, Cuzco is close enough to the equator that seasonal variations in temperature are relatively small.
Average daily high temperatures vary little month to month, from 18.8 degrees Celsius (65.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in February to 20.9 degrees Celsius (69.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in October. Average daily low temperatures vary over a somewhat larger range, from 0.1 degrees Celsius (32.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in July to 6.6 degrees Celsius (43.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in January.
Cuzco has basically two climatological seasons, defined by precipitation. The wet season lasts from November through March, peaking in January with a monthly average of 145.3 mm (5.7 inches) of rainfall. Precipitation is negligible from May through August.
Since each 1,000 feet of altitude adds 4 to 8 percent to the intensity of ambient ultraviolet light, Cuzco has one of the highest UV levels among the world's cities.
