Esmeraldas in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Esmeraldas sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 635 mm of rain over about 62 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Esmeraldas's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. Esmeraldas has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Esmeraldas's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 635 mm
- 62 wet days
- Avg wind
- 11 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.6
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Esmeraldas in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C.
A typical winter day in Esmeraldas reaches about 27°C and drops to 24°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Esmeraldas weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27° / 24° | 256 | 24.2 | 12 | 4.3 |
| Feb | 27° / 24° | 241 | 22 | 12 | 4.1 |
| Mar | 28° / 24° | 203 | 21.4 | 12 | 4.5 |
| Apr | 28° / 24° | 204 | 20.3 | 12 | 4.6 |
| May | 28° / 24° | 149 | 20.2 | 12 | 4.7 |
| Jun | 27° / 24° | 109 | 16.4 | 12.1 | 5.1 |
| Jul | 27° / 23° | 98 | 16.2 | 12 | 5.3 |
| Aug | 27° / 23° | 76 | 14.4 | 12 | 5.6 |
| Sep | 27° / 23° | 67 | 13.3 | 12 | 5.6 |
| Oct | 27° / 23° | 62 | 11.8 | 12 | 5.8 |
| Nov | 27° / 23° | 76 | 10.8 | 12 | 6.0 |
| Dec | 27° / 24° | 138 | 16.2 | 11.9 | 5.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Esmeraldas gets around 635 mm of rain over 62 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 11 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min in early December to 12 hours by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Esmeraldas
In winter, Esmeraldas overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Esmeraldas's rainy season runs December–May, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Esmeraldas?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Esmeraldas for sightseeing.
What to pack for Esmeraldas in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Esmeraldas sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 62 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Esmeraldas in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 26°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 19 km away) is warmest in May at about 27°C and coldest in January near 26°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 27 | Warm |
| May | 27 | Warm |
| Jun | 27 | Warm |
| Jul | 27 | Warm |
| Aug | 27 | Warm |
| Sep | 27 | Warm |
| Oct | 27 | Warm |
| Nov | 26 | Warm |
| Dec | 26 | Warm |
UV index in Esmeraldas in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Esmeraldas peaks around March 12 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 19 at about 11 (extreme).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 11 | Extreme |
Air quality in Esmeraldas in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Esmeraldas is worst in March — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (July, 9 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 12 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 16 | 15 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Good |
| Feb | 15 | Moderate |
| Mar | 18 | Moderate |
| Apr | 15 | Moderate |
| May | 12 | Good |
| Jun | 10 | Good |
| Jul | 9 | Good |
| Aug | 10 | Good |
| Sep | 11 | Good |
| Oct | 12 | Moderate |
| Nov | 16 | Moderate |
| Dec | 15 | Moderate |
Where is Esmeraldas?
Esmeraldas sits at 1.0°N, 79.7°W, 18 m above sea level, in Ecuador. The nearest listed city is Rosa Zarate, 73 km away.
Topography around Esmeraldas
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Esmeraldas.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Esmeraldas has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 261 m around an average of 57 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 628 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 762 m.
The land around Esmeraldas is covered by trees (33%), artificial surfaces (24%) and grassland (23%) within 3 km, trees (45%) and water (44%) within 16 km, and trees (52%) and water (42%) within 80 km.
Ecuador travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 120 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 43% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $7,125
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.1 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 70%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 45.7
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 20.1
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 466
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Esmeraldas (0.9592°, -79.654°, elevation 18 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.