by Richard Lloyd Evans

Created on: March 24, 2010

Ecuador is a country just slightly smaller than the state of Nevada, but has one of the most varied climates in South America. In fact, traveling Ecuador can be a challenge in packing, as you can go from dry to wet, hot to cool within an hour’s drive.

There are four main regions in Ecuador - each has contrasting climates, temperatures and seasons. While varied, there are some things most of the climatic regions have in common. The most important is that most areas have only two seasons. This comes from this small country straddling the equator, which keeps it removed from the seasonal bias of regions away from the equator (the exception to this is the Galapagos Islands region). Also, its location is away from any major weather flows, so Ecuador avoids any kind of major storms. Generally December through May is a rainy season, while the rest of the year is a dry season. However these general guides vary slightly depending on the region. Also there are numerous variations and sub regions in each area.

Here is a look at those four regions.

La Costa (Coastal Lowlands) spreads across the low-lying areas along the Pacific Ocean which borders the Western reaches of Ecuador, between Peru in the South and Colombia to the north. This is a tropical climate, with white sandy beaches and mangrove swamps. La Costa of Ecuador is consistently warm, with temperatures averaging 25 Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit).

This region really has two distinct seasons: a dry season, which is generally cloudy but less humid and no rain, with the humid rainy season from December to May. The cloudiness during the dry season actually helps it stay cool, providing protection from the fierce equatorial sun. In the rainy season, the weather turns to alternating cycles of heavy rains, generally at night, followed by days of clear skies and broiling sun. Immediately on the coast, sea breezes tend to make the heat bearable, so Costenos tend to flock to the beaches on weekends.

La Sierra (Highlands) follow the Andes Mountains down the western/center of the country, north-to-south, slicing the mainland of Ecuador neatly into three parts. La Sierra has a much cooler climate - and temperatures vary with altitude. Many travelers compare the Sierras to spring in England. The average summer temperature in Quito, Ecuador’s capital is about 16 Celsius (61 degrees Fahrenheit).  The altitude and mountains affect the weather also, with a more varied weather pattern. Few areas ever

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