Chamical


Chamical is a small city in, and the seat of government of, Chamical Department in the south of La Rioja Province, Argentina. With a population of 12,919 permanent residents at the, up from 11,831 at the time of the 2001 census, it is the third-most populous settlement in La Rioja Province after Chilecito. It is home to the CELPA aerospace test center, founded in 1961 and operated by the Argentine Air Force. The town, which is crossed by the Tirante wadi, lies on the :es:Ruta Nacional 38 |Ruta 38, around 140 km from La Rioja, and some 300 km from Córdoba.
This young urban habitation has been an important site in several stages of Argentine history during the past fifty years.
Chamical is regarded as the tango hub in La Rioja Province.

Name origin

Chamical got its name from the many specimens of the medicinal herb known as chamico found growing wild in the area.

Geography and climate

Chamical is located in the droughty Llanos Riojanos and has four marked seasons, giving it a BSh hot semi-arid climate under the Köppen climate classification. The dry period of April to October is mild to cool, with the normal monthly mean temperature reaching its lowest in July at. The rainy period of November to March is warm to hot, with the normal monthly mean temperature peaking in January at. There has hardly ever been any snow or frost, but there has often been hail.
Total yearly precipitation averages a scanty with plentiful sunny days, and the rainfall centers in summer. The wettest month is January, during which time Chamical receives an average of.
Winters are quite cool, but usually sunny; rather, snowfall is an odd occurrence. The Servicio Meteorológico Nacional reports that July is the coldest month with a mean high of and a mean low of. Springtime is mild, windy and usually warm. Summers are hot, somewhat rainy and, most often, the mercury rises to 38 degrees Celsius or higher in the shade, which means unpleasant. The rain brings some relief from the stifling Riojan heat. January, the warmest month, has an average high of and an average low of. Fall is mild and pleasant, but can go chilly.
The highest temperature ever recorded was on December 25, 2013 while the lowest temperature on record was on July 31, 1993.

Neighboring towns

Landmark snapshots