The Climate in Ecuador

It is hard to describe the climate of Ecuador without beginning with the sun, which hasn't appeared that often. Partly cloudy days can be very tricky, as the sun is so intense the temperature can raise about 20 degrees (Fahrenheit) when it peeks out from behind a cloud.

Thus far, after about three weeks in the country, the weather has not been hot at all. In fact, given that most places in Ecuador are without heat, thermal underwear has been more essential than shorts. When it is out, however, the sun is quite intense and can burn after half an hour. Even cloudy days require sunscreen and most of the people wear hats. It seems for the most part locals dress for the cold and just suffer when the sun is out. It is a weird effect to have the sun, at noon, almost directly overhead. It always rises between 6 and 7 and also sets between 6 and 7 in the evening.

In the mountains, the setting of the sun means a big drop in temperature. Most places are still heated with firewood or not heated at all. Temperatures don't get down to freezing, but with the thin air it can get quite chilly. The alpaca sweaters and ponchos are popular for a reason.

Even the jungle was not that warm, despite being below 1,000 meters in elevation, though the locals said that was not always the case. It can get quite humid at times, but for the most part over five days it was very pleasant. It rained hard at night a couple of times, but very little during the day. Once again, the temperature difference was huge depending if the sun was behind a cloud.