Colombia Climate
Top 5 Cities: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, and Cartagena
This month in numbers
Colombia experienced its 6th warmest April on record, with an average temperature of 24.63°C, marking an anomaly of +1°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1.1°C. The three-month period from February to April 2026 also ranked as the 9th warmest on record for Colombia, at 24.71°C, an anomaly of +0.8°C.
What changed
Colombia's recent warmth is part of a broader trend, with the country's average temperature for the past 12 months (May 2025 – April 2026) sitting at +1.27°C above the 1961–1990 baseline, ranking it 179th out of 234 regions globally. Within South America, Colombia's April anomaly of +1.03°C was the second warmest in the group, following Brazil. The region has also been grappling with significant rainfall events; Medellín, for instance, has faced 487 emergencies directly caused by heavy rainfall so far in 2026, leading the city to consider declaring a public calamity. Western Colombia, particularly the Antioquia department, experienced very heavy rainfall in mid-April, causing landslide risks and population displacement.
What’s driving change?
The current climate patterns in Colombia are being influenced by a combination of factors. While the current ENSO state is Neutral, with a +0.11°C anomaly, forecasts indicate a strong likelihood of El Niño developing in the coming months, with an 82% chance for May-Jul and a 98% chance for Aug-Oct. El Niño typically brings warmer and drier conditions to the Amazon basin, which could exacerbate drought stress and increase the risk of wildfires. Indeed, IDEAM issued an alert in May 2026 regarding an increased risk of wildfires across various regions of Colombia due to an intense heat wave, with several departments experiencing rainfall levels below the seasonal average. This heat wave has seen cities like Valledupar reach 38°C, nearly four degrees above its historical average. The country has also been experiencing significant flooding since January 2026, with unseasonal heavy rains attributed to an atypical cold front from the Caribbean.
Looking ahead
With a strong El Niño forecast for the coming months, Colombia can anticipate a shift towards warmer and drier conditions, particularly in the Amazon basin, which may lead to increased drought stress and a higher risk of wildfires.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Colombia
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) — see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Colombia changing?
Colombia is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Colombia come from?
Climate data for Colombia comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Colombia climate data cover?
The Colombia climate profile covers Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Colombia
How often is the Colombia climate update refreshed?
The Colombia climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.