Travel Blog The Weather in Colombia

October 25, 2018, 11:53 pm

Have you ever heard of a country where you can experience all four seasons any time of the year? Colombia is one such country because of its geographical proximity to the equator, the weather in Colombia doesn’t depend on the typical seasons—spring, summer, winter, and autumn. In fact, the climate in Colombia is quite fixed and consistent, an attribute also attributed to its closeness to the equator.

Although there are rainy, dry, and breezy seasons in different regions of Colombia, most Colombian cities experience relatively the same climate and temperatures year round.

Let’s take Bogota, for instance. Bogota is the capital city and is located in the center of the country in a plateau of the Andes Mountain range.  Bogota is known for having a cool climate compared to other Colombian cities, and many Colombians equate Bogota as being the closest they’ll come to experiencing winter. Average temperatures in Bogota hover around 14 degrees Celsius, but can drop as low as 4 degrees Celsius and rise to as much as 19 degrees Celsius on some days. Be warned–Bogotanos say you can actually go through all four seasons in one day in Bogota, as the weather here can be extremely unpredictable—a sunny morning can easily turn into a cold and rainy afternoon. Don’t let the weather catch you off guard, though. Wear layered clothing and waterproof shoes and keep a rain jacket, sunglasses, sunscreen, and umbrella handy. And, don’t let the unpredictability of the weather here keep you from this beautiful city. Embrace the unique weather found here and let it lead you to unique experiences. Be sure to warm up with a hot chocolate and cheese portion and cool down with a nice glass of agua de panela (unrefined whole can sugar) with lime juice, both traditional drinks in this cosmopolitan city!

A few hundred miles north of Bogota is the city of Medellin. Medellin is known all over Colombia as the “city of eternal spring” due to its favorable climate and incredible diversity of stunning flora always in bloom around the city. Temperatures in Medellin normally fall around 22 degrees Celsius. And, although Medellin experiences a rainy season, these temperatures most often create the perfect weather for being outdoors. Medellin is full of outdoors activities from swimming, to hiking to walking the city. It truly does always feel like spring here where gorgeous flowers and sunshine greet you year round with moderate temperatures. When traveling to Medellin, you’ll want to be sure and take quality sunscreen with you—Medellin has a high level of UV penetration that is exacerbated by its location in the Andes Mountains.

Traveling even further north in Colombia, you’ll find the Caribbean cities of Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Santa Marta. These cities are the epitome of summer in Colombia. All of these cities experience temperatures ranging between 30 and 32 degrees Celsius and receive lots of sunshine. Here, you’ll find streets lined with palm trees, coconut water on the street corners, and flora typically found in the summer season and/or hot and dry regions around the world, such as succulents and bougainvillea. The Colombian Caribbean coast does, though, have a rainy season that typically starts in May and lasts until October and a breezy season that starts in December and goes until March. The rainy season can be intense, but the breezy season brings a much-needed relief from the heat and humidity typical in the months of June through September. Regardless, if you’re looking for “fun in the sun,” refreshing coconut based drinks, surf spots, snorkeling, or walks in the sun, the Colombian Caribbean coast can offer you the perfect taste of summer any time of the year.

Hence, regardless of what season you’re looking for, Colombian has them all, all the time. Hypothetically, you could travel through summer, winter, autumn, and spring all in the course of a week (or shorter) depending on your travel itinerary. With such variety in weather and climate, Colombia is the perfect destination, no matter what climate you’re looking for. So, what are you waiting for? Plan that trip, and head on over to experience this diverse country and climate for yourself. 

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