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Galapagos Island Climate
The Galapagos Islands feature a distinct microclimate, totally different from the mainland. This climate is caused by the coaction of equatorial winds from the coast and the encounter of different currents of the ocean. The climate is distinguished between a hot season (December to May) and a cold or also called „garúa“ season (June to November).
The hot season can be characterized by mild and summerlike temperatures and the islands beam in blossom and green. During this time of year, in which a lot of animals mate, the sun shows up quite frequently and the sky is deep blue. From December to Mai, this climate is modified by the north trade wind that entails warm air. Besides that the ocean currents play the most important part: The Panama current, whose features are warm and nutrient-poor waters coming from the northeast, displaces the cold, nutrient-rich Humboldt current. The air gets warmer, water evaporates, rises and condensates, which causes rainfalls.
If the Panama current is especially strong, it is called El Niño. El Niño causes immense rainfalls and storms. While Turtles and land iguanas profit from an abundance of vegetation and food other animals are almost starving. For instance penguins, sea lions, sea birds and marine iguanas - in short - all animals which are dependent on fish or seaweed as food supply live through a hardship during an El Niño. Due to the rising of water-temperature schools of fish head for cooler grounds and seaweed dies. Normally after an El Niño flora and fauna recovers quite quickly, but if it has been very intense it can take up to ages until the damages of this force of nature become invisible.
The months July to November, the „garúa” season, are stamped by cool, dry air and low water-temperatures, the islands and especially the mountaintops are now quite often covered in clouds and mist. The clouds are caused by warm air of the island that encounters the cold waters of the Humboldt current, that is coming from the Antarctica. Water condensates and forms a layer of clouds over the archipelago. Sometimes the clouds are accompanied by drizzle. This effect is aggravated by trade winds from south east. During August and October winds are particularly strong and the sea tends to be rather rough. The weather is far not as good as during the rest of the year.
But under water just at that time an increasing reproduction of the marine creatures can be noticed. That makes diving in these months especially attractive! Another influencing factor is the Chromwell current coming from the equator, who is encountering the Galapagos plateau from the west. This several hundred metres deep current notably affects the islands of Fernandina, Isabela and Floreana. The current is rich in nutrients and represents an important source of food for the marine species such as whales, dolphins and penguins.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Temperature (F) | 77 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 77 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 73 | 75 | 75 |
| Rainfall (inches) | 1,5 | 6,1 | 4,9 | 4,2 | 1,1 | 0,2 | 0,5 | 0,3 | 0,2 | 0,3 | 0,2 | 0,6 | 20 |
