Santa Cruz Island, NW corner
Sunny skies over Baltra Island and continuing throughout the central region. Many times I am asked what the weather forecast will be for tomorrow, and justifiably I can say “partly cloudy with a chance of mist”. At this time of year, we are in what is known as the famous “garúa” season. This climatological phenomenon is the consequence of warm, moist air rising over the climatic equator (a tad north of the geographical equator where we presently find ourselves), and descending in the southern hemisphere only to encounter a low layer of cool air riding above the Humbolt (Peru) ocean current. The meeting of these two very different air layers, both in temperature and humidity, results in condensation of a sort which forms a fine mist. The garúa rides at an altitude of around a couple thousand feet, but occasionally lowers to sea-level, as it travels NW, the SE trade winds blowing constantly from that direction. It rides too high for the coastal lands. This time of year the lowlands of the Galapagos Islands are arid, extremely dry. Vegetation stands starkly on dry, dark lava. It’s not enough to cause the palo santo trees to bloom, nor many of the other drought-tolerant plants we can see on shore. However, if we raise our eyes to the higher reaches of the taller islands, in the far distance can be seen verdant green expanses.
From where we are situated this afternoon, anchored off the northwestern corner of Santa Cruz Island, the gathering of clouds on the top of the island gives us a hint of how the southeast trade winds are affecting the other side…wet, very wet.
Sunny skies over Baltra Island and continuing throughout the central region. Many times I am asked what the weather forecast will be for tomorrow, and justifiably I can say “partly cloudy with a chance of mist”. At this time of year, we are in what is known as the famous “garúa” season. This climatological phenomenon is the consequence of warm, moist air rising over the climatic equator (a tad north of the geographical equator where we presently find ourselves), and descending in the southern hemisphere only to encounter a low layer of cool air riding above the Humbolt (Peru) ocean current. The meeting of these two very different air layers, both in temperature and humidity, results in condensation of a sort which forms a fine mist. The garúa rides at an altitude of around a couple thousand feet, but occasionally lowers to sea-level, as it travels NW, the SE trade winds blowing constantly from that direction. It rides too high for the coastal lands. This time of year the lowlands of the Galapagos Islands are arid, extremely dry. Vegetation stands starkly on dry, dark lava. It’s not enough to cause the palo santo trees to bloom, nor many of the other drought-tolerant plants we can see on shore. However, if we raise our eyes to the higher reaches of the taller islands, in the far distance can be seen verdant green expanses.
From where we are situated this afternoon, anchored off the northwestern corner of Santa Cruz Island, the gathering of clouds on the top of the island gives us a hint of how the southeast trade winds are affecting the other side…wet, very wet.
