Climate of Ecuador

The climate of Ecuador is tropical and varies with altitude and region, due to differences in elevation and, to a degree, in proximity to the equator.[1]

Ecuador map of Köppen climate classification.

The coastal lowlands in the western part of Ecuador are typically warm with temperatures in the region of 25 °C (77 °F).[2] Coastal areas are affected by ocean currents and are hot and rainy between January and April.[3]

The weather in Quito is consistent with that of a subtropical highland climate. The average temperature during the day is 70 °F (21 °C), which generally falls to an average of 50 °F (10 °C) at night. The average temperature annually is 64 °F (18 °C). There are only two seasons in the city: dry and wet. The dry season runs from June to September and the wet season is from October to May.

Effects of Climate Change

Ecuador has a diverse geography and is very vulnerable to climate change. Antisana, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, Cayambe, the Ilinizas (north and south), El Altar, and Carihuairazo are the seven glaciers of Ecuador. These glaciers are all located on volcanic craters that are affected by the greenhouse effect. Because of global warming glacier Carihuairazo has already lost 96% of the its glacier surface. With the continued worsening of climate change, Carihuairazo can disappear within five years. By the end of 2018, there was an average nationwide loss of 53% of glacier coverage. Glacier shrinkage is a natural phenomenon that has existed; however, in the last 20 years climate change has exacerbated shrinkage. These glaciers in Ecuador play a major role in the climate because they gather the atmospheric circulation from the Pacific and the humidity of the Amazon region.[4]

See also

References
  1. "Climate of Ecuador". Archived from the original on 2012-03-05.
  2. "Climate in Ecuador". Archived from the original on 2017-08-29.
  3. "Ecuador:Climate".
  4. "Climate change threatens 2 of Ecuador's 7 glaciers". www.efe.com. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
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