Laguna del Maule lies at the interface between a semi-arid, temperate climate and a colder montane climate. Average yearly temperatures from 2007 to 2013 ranged from . Precipitation related to cold fronts falls during autumn and winter, although occasional summer storms also contribute to rainfall. Laguna del Maule is subject to the rain shadow effect of mountains farther west, which is why the numerous summits more than high around the lake are not glaciated. Most of the lake water comes from snowmelt; for much of the year the landscape around the lake is covered with snow.