The Climate of the
Galápagos Islands
Blue-footed Booby, Galápagos
Climate Map
Climate map of the Galápagos Islands
What is the climate of the Galápagos Islands like?
The Galápagos Islands lie almost on the equator 1,050 km (650 mi) west of the coast of Ecuador. There are some fifteen large, and hundreds of smaller, islands. They are famous for their unusual flora and fauna, and are now a nature reserve.
The islands are close to the equator, but they have an unusual climate: rainfall is low and temperatures are lower than would be expected. There are no extremes of heat or cold. This is a consequence of their location in the Pacific Ocean, where the cooler waters of the Humboldt current have a marked effect on the weather. The climate is tempered by cold currents from the Antarctic sea, which, having followed the coast of Peru as far as Cape Blanco, bear off to the northwest towards and through the Galapagos. Climate in the Galapagos Islands is both moderated by the ocean currents and affected by altitude.
At sea level, the land is desert-like with temperatures of 23°C (73°F). The eight summer months experience no precipitation, whereas the winter months of January through April have some fog and drizzle. Above sea level to an altitude of 450 meters (1,500 feet), the islands have a mixture of tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates. At these altitudes average temperatures are around 17°C (63°F). There is constant fog and drizzle in the summer and rain in the winter. The cold level above 450 meters (1,500 feet) has temperatures below 14°C (57°F).
Although there is more rain on the large islands which are hilly, rainfall is low at sea level and comes in the period January to April. From July to November the clouds hang low on the mountains, and give moisture to the mountains, while the climate of the lowlands is dry. Rain in the lowlands is scanty, and is lightest from May to December. Light drizzle and even fog, however, are not uncommon at any time of the year.
| Climate data for Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 29.2 (84.6) | 30.3 (86.5) | 30.5 (86.9) | 30.2 (86.4) | 29.2 (84.6) | 27.6 (81.7) | 26.4 (79.5) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.7 (78.3) | 26.0 (78.8) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.8 (82.0) | 28.0 (82.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.1 (79.0) | 26.7 (80.1) | 26.7 (80.1) | 26.5 (79.7) | 26.0 (78.8) | 24.7 (76.5) | 23.6 (74.5) | 22.7 (72.9) | 22.8 (73.0) | 23.0 (73.4) | 27.4 (81.3) | 24.8 (76.6) | 24.8 (76.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 22.9 (73.2) | 23.1 (73.6) | 22.9 (73.2) | 22.8 (73.0) | 22.7 (72.9) | 21.7 (71.1) | 20.7 (69.3) | 19.8 (67.6) | 19.8 (67.6) | 20.0 (68.0) | 20.9 (69.6) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.6 (70.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 83.4 (3.28) | 107.4 (4.23) | 106.3 (4.19) | 94.9 (3.74) | 41.9 (1.65) | 32.5 (1.28) | 18.8 (0.74) | 9.8 (0.39) | 7.6 (0.30) | 11.0 (0.43) | 12.6 (0.50) | 51.5 (2.03) | 577.7 (22.74) |
| Source: World Meteorological Organization | |||||||||||||
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Federal Research Division, Library of Congress, (1991), Ecuador: a country study. Claitor's Pub. Division. ISBN 0844407595X
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of the
Galápagos Islands
In summary:
The Galápagos Islands enjoy warm and dry weather, with an average temperature of 25°C (77°F). There is a dry season from May to December, and a rainy season from January to April