CLIMATE

Being on the equator - hence its name - Ecuador experiences slight seasonal variations in temperature, and little daily temp changes variations that characterize mid-latitude climates.

In spite of this, Ecuador´s climate is astonishingly varied in terms of temperature and precipitation. The different environments support everything from desert to rainforest to permanent ice and snow.

Temperature is almost entirely a function of altitude, with an average decrease of nearly 3ºF for each thousand feet of rise in elevation. While you may find "summer" at the Coast (Guayaquil) with temperatures of 90ºF, you may find "spring" in Quito( 9000 feet of elevation) with an average of 60ºF, and "winter" in the snow covered mountain tops (above 16,000 feet of elevation).

Rainfall is highly seasonal, with the highest precipitation rates in the tropical rain forest of the Amazon region.