Typical Weather and Tourism in El Salvador

Retrieved from: http://www.airfarespot.com/2015/12/16/miami-to-san-salvador-el-salvador-for-185-rt-ns-winter-spring/

"Simple, elegant, not very hot in the winter, please come visit and give us your money"

El Salvador has a tropical climate and is generally warm. With a high of 90 Fahrenheit and a low of 64 Fahrenheit, it can be quite warm in the summers and cool and pleasant in the winters (Climate Zone). The rainy winter season runs from April to October and the summer dry season runs form November to April. Winter is the best time to visit El Salvador, specifically during the months of December and January. The winter months are right after the rainy season, so everything is green and the air is cool, and has little rain. This time of the year has the coolest climate, and trust me you will be wanting cool. If the cheap airfare during the summer months is tempting you to visit at that time, I would suggest you ask yourself: are a few dollars really worth a heat stroke? During these months, there are many activities you can partake in, including relaxing at the beach, going on scenic hikes, turtle sighting tours, and celebrating Christmas (Smarter Travel) (Lonely Planet)

The summer solstice occurs on the 21st of June, which culminates in the longest day of the year. Lows of 67 Fahrenheit and highs of 84 Fahrenheit occur during the summer solstice, with about 5.9 inches of rain. The winter solstice occurs on the 21st of December and results in the shortest day of the year. Temperatures have a low of 58 Fahrenheit and a high of 84 Fahrenheit during the winter solstice. El Salvador only receives about 0.4 inches of rain in December. March 20th marks the beginning of spring in El Salvador and the spring equinox brings with it summer-like temperatures of a low 64 Fahrenheit to 90 Fahrenheit highs. They only get 0.31 inches in this month and it is the dry season. The Autumnal Equinox occurs on September 22nd and brings highs of 84 Fahrenheit and lows down to a cool 67 Fahrenheit. It is the rain season during that time with heavy rains and thunderstorms (Weather Spark).

If you do decide to travel during the winter months, you will avoid the potentially dangerous rainy season, that also so happens to coincide with the hurricane season in the Caribbean. During this season you could expect thunderstorms and massive downpours. This rain also can cause landslides in mountainous areas. There are also a few active volcanoes in the country. The last explosion killed two people, and it took several months until the locals could return to the site (World Nomads).

Temperature Controls in the city of San Salvador in El Salvador

The capital city of El Salvador is San Salvador, with a longitude of 13.69 degrees North and a latitude of 89.19 degrees West. The warmest month in San Salvador is April with an average monthly temperature of 78.8 degrees fahrenheit, and the coldest month is in December with an average monthly temperature of 73.4 degrees fahrenheit (Holiday Weather). Based off of this information the annual range of temperature for the city is a whopping 5.4 degrees fahrenheit. So you might be curious as to what might cause such a significant variation in monthly temperatures. Well thanks to Country Studies, your curiosity will be gratified! They explain that from the months of November to April, the northeast tradewinds have a major impact on weather patterns. Air is coming in from the Caribbean, and most of its precipitation is "wrung out" on the way to San Salvador as it passes through the mountains of Honduras. When this air reaches the city it has become dry, hot, and hazy. Elevation is also an obvious temperature control for the country. The country has the coldest temperatures up in the mountains, and the hottest down in the central plateau. Although there are many temperature controls that affect the city's temperature, San Salvador's central location in the country would probably negate any strong temperature differential influences from ocean currents. 

When thinking about the future of San Salvador's climate, one could foresee a few issues that could arise in time. Agriculture in El Salvador makes up a big part of the country's economy, and because of this erosion could play a catastrophic role during heavy rain (perhaps due to deforestation). This could cause a snowball effect that contributes to surface temperature rise. Also, the coastal areas of the country could possibly be affected by rising sea levels, and that impacts San Salvador because it could potentially displace large amounts of the population. If the sea levels rise high enough, they could cause flooding from river basins that could lead to agricultural losses. After reading this, you might consider putting El Salvador on your bucket list destination in the rapidly disappearing countries section.