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Galapagos Islands Climate
Currents in the Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands climate is subtropical and mostly determined by currents. When you pack for your vacation, bring rain gear for summer and hot
weather clothing for the hot and humid months of Galapagos Islands climate, which is from December to May. There are basically two seasons in the
Galapagos Islands: the dry season and the hot and humid season, when there's lots of rain. Lots of visitors assume the Galapagos Islands are classified
as tropical, but really they are sub-tropical because of the cooler water that surrounds them, brought in by the Humboldt Current. The northernmost
islands of the archipelago are almost tropical because they are further from the cooler Humboldt water, but not quite tropical. It's all because of the
currents.
In fact, The Galapagos islands are unusual because of the great number of ocean currents that converge here. There's the Peruvian Coastal Currnet and
the Peruvian Oceanic Current, both of which are cold water ocean currents. Then we have the Cromwell Current from the western Pacific Ocean near the
equator. It's the coldest one yet and comes to the surface near the Isabela and Fernandina Islands of the Galapagos. It rises there, then submerges
again near the center of the chain of islands. The South Equatorial Current brings some warmer water in its current from the tropical areas. We also
call this El Niño.
Another factor in Galapagos Islands climate is trade winds. They also converge on the Galapagos Islands from the southeast and the northeast.
Scientists call this the Intertropical Convergence Zone.
Seasons in the Galapagos Islands
Garua: the Dry Season
From late Spring through the end of the year we have cooler temperatures and less rain. This is our Garua Season, very typical of a subtropic
environment. We get cooler waters coming in from the Antartic zone, creating beautiful foggy misty mornings on the islands. The mist comes with a very
fine rain, so fine it has a special name. It's called Garua, lending its name to the season. The Humboldt Current is also bringing cooler water at this
time and the trade winds are strongest. This makes for rougher seas, for those considering a cruise to the Galapagos during this time.
Warm Season
From December through May, Galapagos Islands climate gets lots of rain. It's also hotter now, and although there is more rain, there are also more sunny
days on average. Trade winds have died down and the Humboldt Current has quieted down as well. Warm waters from Colombia and Panama swing down to arm up
the ocean surrounding the Galapagos at this time, as well. It's actually these warmer currents from up north that can get extra strong at times,
creating the climate conditions known as El Niño. Every four to seven years around December El Niño brings extra rain and winds, ceating
hazardous conditions for commercial and sport fishermen. Luckily, the Galapagos Islands climate conditions are such that El Niño is much gentler
here than on the continent. El Niño can last for a year or two, and ocean temperatures are lower. Sometimes this is harmful to marine life, which
suffers and in some cases, dies. Sea lions can suffer too. Luckily, the years after an El Niño bring less rain and wildlife populations that
suffered from all the extra rain during El Niño recover and restore balance to the precious Galapagos Islands.
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