What factors influence the climate of Puerto Rico?
Easterly trade winds, tropical latitudes, mountainous landscapes, and engulfment by the sea are the primary factors that influence the climate. Puerto Rico lies 18°north of the equator and comprises of the main island of Puerto Rico and many small islands and islets.
What is Puerto Rico’s climate?
Climate of Puerto Rico The climate is Tropical Marine with an average temperature of 80 °F (26 °C). The coldest month is January with an average low of 70 °F (21 °C) and an average high of 83 °F (28 °C). Puerto Rico enjoys warm, sunny and humid days most of the year. There is no winter, spring or fall, only summertime.
Is the Ocean warm in Puerto Rico?
The sea in Puerto Rico is warm enough for swimming all year round: the water temperature ranges from 26 °C (79 °F) between January and March to 29 °C (84 °F) between August and October, as can be seen from the sea temperature near San Juan.
What causes rain to fall in Puerto Rico?
Major rainfall events producing substantial volumes of rain in Puerto Rico and the outlying islands are caused by one of two climate mechanisms—the passage of an easterly wave or the passage of a cold front.
What kind of climate does Puerto Rico have?
The northern two-thirds of the island has a relatively humid climate whereas the southern one-third of the island is semi-arid. In general, the east-west trending Cordillera Central and Sierra de Cayey mountains form an insular hydrologic divide that separates the island of Puerto Rico into two climatologically distinct regions.
How is the drought affecting Puerto Rico’s economy?
With less rain and drier soils, Puerto Rico may face an increased risk of drought, which in turn can affect public water supplies, agriculture, and the economy.
How is the sea level in Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico. Rising Seas and Retreating Shores. Sea level has risen by about four inches relative to Puerto Rico’s shoreline since 1960. As the oceans and atmosphere continue to warm, sea level around Puerto Rico is likely to rise one to three feet in the next century.