Water temperatures drop to 70º F (21ºC) or below and the winds can make the water choppy.
A sweater or jacket may be necessary on cloudy days and at night. |
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August and September tend to be considered the "worst" months to visit when there is little sun, it can be quite cold, and the water the roughest.
November is the best month to visit during the dry season as the crowds are at their lowest and the weather is getting progressively better.
In years with the El Niño Current heavy rain comes from the north from December to March. The warmer temperatures and heavy rains break the food chain and interrupt the breeding cycle. Though this is not a yearly occurrence the increase in water temperatures can have a dramatic influence on the wildlife of the islands.
The windward sides of the islands, the southeast, receive more moisture than the leeward sides. As elevation increases, the climate changes, in the Galapagos as elsewhere.
This is particularly true on the windward sides of the islands. Accompanying this climatic change is progressive change in vegetation. These changes can be divided into a number of climate zones that are perhaps best seen on Santa Cruz. The increase in precipitation that creates these zones occurs as moist ocean air is forced up over the islands.
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