An umbrella for the rain... or the sun!
The climate of Colombia oscillates between desert conditions, as in La Guajira, in the north of the country, and super-humid conditions, characteristic of the Pacific coast (6 m of water per year on average). The city of Tutendo, with more than 11,000 mm of rainfall per year, would be the third rainiest place in the world! Between extreme aridity and humidity, there are all types of climates in Colombia, from semi-humid as in Medellín, to semi-arid as in Bogotá. The difference is mainly due to the higher humidity in "winter", which corresponds to the wet season, and the more intense drought in "summer", which corresponds to the dry season. The dry season extends from December to March and for a few days around June 24, during the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. This short, sunny and windy period is known as the Veranillo de San Juan ("Little Summer of San Juan"). The wet season covers the rest of the year. There is no spring or autumn, although there are intermediate months, such as April and September. The rainfall influences this notion of season, much more than the temperatures.
The thermal stages
With the exception of the islands of San Andres and Providencia, the Colombian territory is close to the equator. A region where temperatures are constant throughout the year, and only change according to the altitude. This is what is known locally as los pisos termicos, or thermal floors. One can go from 15 °C of Bogotá (2 640 m), to 30 °C of La Mesa (1 400 m) in two hours of road! The hot lands(tierras calientes), with an average temperature of 24°C, are located at less than 1,000 m. This is the climate found in two thirds of the country: Llanos, the Caribbean coast, the west of Antioquia... Above, there is the very pleasant climate of the temperate lands(tierras templadas), located between 1,000 and 2,000 m, with temperatures averaging 17 to 23 °C. This is for example Armenia, Medellin, or Barichara. The cold lands(tierras frías), between 2,000 and 3,000 m, like Bogotá or Tunja, have temperatures between 12 and 16 °C. From 3,200 m, it is the páramo, with temperatures below 10 °C. Above 4,500 meters, we find the icy climate of the high mountains(tierras heladas), with negative temperatures. In addition to these climatic zones characteristic of the Andean region and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, there are warmer and more humid climates, such as the tropical climate of the Pacific coast and the equatorial climate of the Amazon. There is also the tropical savannah climate, in the plains of the Llanos and on part of the Caribbean coast, with high temperatures and more marked dry and wet seasons than elsewhere. Finally, the arid or desert tropical climate of La Guajira and Tatacoa, with temperatures often exceeding 40°C.
Climate risks
Colombia is in the intertropical convergence zone. Storms can be violent and heavy rains can cause floods, mudslides, etc. Disasters are frequent in rural areas but also in some cities, such as Barranquilla, where the " arroyos" are legendary (some streets turn into real torrents). The islands of San Andres and Providencia are subject to tropical storms, which can turn into hurricanes. On November 16, 2020, Hurricane Iota (category 5) caused enormous damage in San Andrés, but especially ravaged the beautiful Providencia, which was only 18 km from the eye of the hurricane.
