Salinas (and the entire coast) climate

[David Etcheberry]

This is for Jim,

Jim, really liked the video of “Low Season” vs “High Season” at Salinas.

I didn’t see any posts regarding climate so I’m submitting this query.

Since you apparently live in Salinas, you obviously have a very good “feel”for the climate there and I was hoping you would share your “feel” with us.

I have spent time in Cartegena, Belize and the DR and I find the Caribbean climate just too hot and sultry…not comfortable and AC required…what a shame, love the people at all three.

So, I can’t wait to hear your take on Salinas climate (and the rest of the coast if you’ve spent time north). What does it feel like? Uncomfortably hot? Humid and sweaty? Run the AC most of the time?

Cheers,
David Etcheberry

[Country Expert Jim Santos]

Hi David, glad you enjoyed the video. Yes, we’ve lived in Salinas for 3 years now, and have travelled the coast between Playas to the south and Canoa to the north, so we have a pretty good feel for the climate.

For Salinas, in our time here we have never seen it get colder than 66F, or hotter than 98F – and those were both extremes. Generally, we have two seasons. From late December until May is our sunnier and warmer season. Typically, we have days in the mid-to-upper 80’s, nights in the mid-70’s, with the daytime highs peaking in the low 90’s around late February/early March. Then June to December is generally cloudier and cooler, days in the upper 70’s or hitting 80, nights in the low 70’s.

Paradoxically, our sunniest time of the year (Jan-March) is also our “wet” season. I put that in quotes, because our annual rainfall is about the same as Las Vegas – less than 5″ a year. When it does rain, it is usually a light mist you barely notice.

Our cloudy season is also not totally cloudy, all the time. Usually we have mostly cloudy days, with some sun for a few hours at some point in the day. We actually prefer that time of year. It is comfortably warm out, cool breeze, and lower crowds.

Since we are basically a desert area, the humidity is nowhere near as bad as in the Caribbean, or the Baltimore/DC suburbs, for that matter. Generally it is in the 60% range, can peak around 80% – but even then, since we are on a peninsula we almost always have a nice breeze.

As you head north up the coast, you get areas with more precipitation, probably peaking around Ayampe, where there is very lush vegetation – a cloud forest, really. Then it gets gradually drier again as you head toward Manta, which has weather very similar to ours – perhaps a bit warmer.

We find that we do not run the A/C at all between about late May-late November, and for a few months before and after that period, we just run one or two during the day. January-April, they pretty much run all day – but there are still days once the sun is on the other side of the building when we turn them off and open all of the windows for some fresh, cool air.

Hope that helps, feel free to ask any other questions about Salinas or the coast either here, or emailing me at salinas@internationalliving.com

-jim

[David Etcheberry]

Jim,

Excellent information! This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.

The climate sounds really nice during the 2nd half of the year…and like you say, low crowds. I could definitely see splitting the year between mountains during the 1st half and Salinas on the coast during the 2nd half.

Thanks again,
David Etcheberry

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