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The name says it all, in the "Amazon Rainforest" ... it rains. But
don't get discouraged, it does not rain all the time and definitely
not the at the same frequency all year long. Climates in the Amazon
vary according to the time of the year and the location where you
will be in this enormous area. One thing is for sure, it may rain at
any time during any time of the year.
When visiting the Amazon you will be traveling during a beautiful
day and suddenly you will see the rain fall out of heavy rain clouds
but it may be days that the rain will not get to where you are. The
best thing is to prevent and carry raingear along at all times. A
general rule is that north of the equator it rains more between May
and december while south of the equator it rains more between
December and April.
While the Amazon is generally hot and humid don't be fooled, there
are some colder periods in the year around May and June where it may
get cold at night.
Water levels of the Amazon River and its tributaries are seasonal.
The water level of the Amazon River drops some 30 to 40 feet between
July and November and many beaches can be seen along the shores of
the river. Some areas may become difficult to reach by boat or it
may be impossible to reach them at all. The drop in water levels is
due to the fact that high up in the Andes, where the river finds its
source, it is wintertime with little rain and ice and snow is not
melting. By the end of November the "summer time" begins in the
Andes, the snow and ice begin to melt and lots of water is being
carried down the mountains into the tributaries that feed the Amazon
River. The water levels will rise and reach the highest point by
June. During "high water" season the jungle gets flooded and we may
be able to enter the jungle by small boat.
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