Colombia Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, and Cartagena
Summary
July 2026 was an exceptionally hot period for Colombia, marking the highest temperature for the month in 87 years of records. The extraordinary heat capped off an unprecedented three-month period from May to July, establishing a new all-time seasonal record. Driven by an intensifying Pacific pattern, a moderate El Niño currently grips the region and is forecast to peak at Very Strong between September and November. Across the country, elevated temperatures are heightening drought risks and placing strain on water supplies, with heat expected to persist over the coming months.
This month in numbers
July 2026 recorded a national average temperature of 24.69°C, which sits 1.9°C above the 1961-1990 baseline. This anomaly ranked 1st out of 87 years on record, making it the single warmest July ever observed in Colombia. On a global scale, land temperatures averaged 15.8°C (+1.6°C anomaly), ranking as the 3rd warmest July on record.
What changed
Over the broader three-month period from May to July 2026, Colombia averaged 24.55°C, an anomaly of +1.6°C above the long-term baseline that ranked 1st of 87 years on record. Within South America (South America), Colombia recorded the 4th highest monthly temperature anomaly in July, running 0.32°C warmer than the regional average. This heat aligns with a broader warming trend of +0.97°C since 1961, following 2025 which was the 7th warmest full year on record at 24.34°C.
What’s driving change?
The primary atmospheric driver behind Colombia's record warmth is ENSO, with the tropical Pacific presently in a moderate El Niño phase with a Relative Niño Index anomaly of +0.98°C (ENSO). Historically, El Niño brings drier conditions, reduced river flows, and elevated heat across Andean and Amazonian regions. On top of ocean-driven variability, across the South American continent, while Colombia's mountainous terrain experiences accelerated warming due to .
Looking ahead
With a 93% probability of a Very Strong El Niño taking hold between September and November, seasonal outlooks indicate that Colombia faces persistent heat and below-average precipitation through the remainder of the year, amplifying drought and fire risks across vulnerable ecosystems.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Colombia
Köppen Af · TropicalColombia has a tropical climate (Köppen Af: Tropical rainforest), with little variation in temperature or rainfall across the year. February is typically the warmest month, averaging 25.2°C, while July is the coldest at 23.7°C. Annual precipitation averages around 2954mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly precipitation.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Colombia
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Colombia
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Colombia
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Colombia
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Colombia
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Weakly seasonalKöppen Af · TropicalColombia is weakly seasonal - temperature barely changes across the year (1.6°C range) and rainfall is fairly even. The clearest climate signal here is overall warming: monthly temperature has risen in every month.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: May (+1.4°C).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
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.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
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 headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Colombia?
Colombia has a tropical climate (Köppen Af: Tropical rainforest), with little variation in temperature or rainfall across the year. February is typically the warmest month, averaging 25.2°C, while July is the coldest at 23.7°C. Annual precipitation averages around 2954mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
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.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Colombia climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Colombia climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.