WHY DOESN'T COLOMBIA HAVE THE 4 SEASONS? - ENVIRONMENT - 2025

Colombia does not have the 4 stations due to its proximity to Ecuador. Its climate is tropical and isothermal, with temperatures that vary very little during the year. The only climate change that really varies according to the season is the annual amount of rainfall that occurs in the country.

There are those who think that Colombia does not have the 4 seasons because it is very close to the Sun. However, this is not the case. Many people believe that when the earth is closest to the sun, then it is summer, and that when it is further away, it would be winter.

Although this reasoning makes sense, the reality is not like that and this is not the reason why there is no winter or autumn in Colombia. It is true that the Earth rotates in an elliptical orbit and not circular. During part of the year the Earth is closer to the Sun than at other times.

In the northern hemisphere of the planet there is winter just when the Earth is closest to the Sun and summer when it is as far away as possible. In contrast, the distance from the Sun does not affect much of the planet's climate. There is a different reason why countries like Colombia, Venezuela or Peru do not have all 4 stations.

Why aren't there 4 stations in Colombia?

Inclined Earth Axis

The imaginary axis of the earth is a straight line that goes from its top to its bottom, on which the earth rotates like a grilled chicken, each turn is 24 hours a day. This is the reason why one part of the earth is waking up and the other is going to bed at the same time.

The seasons of the Earth are due to the fact that the axis of the Earth does not stand straight, but rather is tilted. Since the axis is tilted, and the sunlight always comes in the same direction, throughout the year, different parts of the planet receive direct sunlight.

Countries near the equator receive almost the same amount of solar radiation throughout the year, that is why their climate does not vary drastically. In contrast, the further one is from this imaginary line, the more radiation changes causing the seasons.

Geographic location

Geographic location is the other factor on which the seasons depend. Colombia begins to the north with the Guajira peninsula, at latitude 12 ° 30 '46 ”North and to the South it ends at the mouth of the San Antonio stream located at latitude 4 ° 13' 30” South.

Its territory is crossed by the imaginary equatorial line dividing the country in two. This fact means that Colombia does not go through 4 seasons and enjoys a controlled climate, without having to suffer the ravages of an arduous winter or a hot summer.

The climate of Colombia

Absence of winter

Colombia is among the countries that do not have winter. All the countries between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn do not have winter. This is due to the amount of sun received and the proximity to the ocean, which moderates temperatures.

The ocean is crucial for regulating the planet's temperature. While land areas absorb some sunlight, most of it is absorbed by the ocean. Particularly the waters that surround the line of the equator act as a large solar heat retaining panel.

Beyond that, the climates of the countries are impacted by altitude. A country where mountains predominate, will see a variation of its climate, regardless of its distance from the equator. Furthermore, ocean currents play a role.

For example: Peru, which is between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, and which is supposed to "not have winter", in fact does, due to its mountains and oceanic influences.

Although Colombia also has part of the Andean mountain range and has similar areas, it does not have enough characteristics for winter.

The Colombian climate

Colombia enjoys various types of climate according to the hemisphere; Due to its size, it can be divided into zones according to its climate: dry tropical, wet tropical or dry / wet tropical. All these climates have as their main characteristic, temperatures greater than 18 degrees.

Although the variations in heat are not enough to have the 4 seasons, there are seasons where temperatures increase or decrease, and all always due to the inclination of the earth, the height and the ocean currents.

That is why some meteorological phenomena can cause hail to fall in a city or the temperatures to increase too much.

On the other hand, entering the absurd, in Colombia you can experience all the seasons at any time of the year, so to speak, since there are very high temperatures in some areas and others very low in the mountainous areas.

For example, the country's capital: Bogotá, experiences an average temperature of 14 degrees Celsius, but there are days when it can reach 4 degrees where people wear jackets, winter boots and earmuffs.

Other days it dawns with 19º of temperature, so you can see people wearing sunglasses, flannels and shorts.

The Colombian climate favors its population and gives it mild days and cool days. One reason why anyone who visits the country should not forget to pack a jacket and also their favorite swimsuit in their suitcase.

Whether due to the inclination of the globe, being close to the equator or ocean currents, Colombia does not have 4 seasons but it does enjoy varied climates within its territory.

References

1. The Weather in Colombia. June 11, 2013. Colombia: Uncover Colombia. Recovered from uncovercolombia.com.
2. The ocean plays a fundamental role in shaping the climate zones we see on land. Even areas hundreds of miles away from any coastline are still largely influenced by the global ocean system. June 21, 2013. USA. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA: oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.
3. Nola Taylor. December 17, 2015. Winter: The coldest season. USA. LiveScience: livescience.com.
4. Where is Colombia. October 2, 2015. USA. WordAtlas: worldatlas.com.
5. What causes the seasons. October 17, 2016. USA. NasaSpacePlace: spaceplace.nasa.gov.
6. Colombia Climate. s / f. n / a. Encyclopedia Britannica: britannica.com.
7. The University of Pennsylvania. 2017. Climate Zones. PennState: online.science.psu.edu.