What's the most tropical place?

[Xenon]

What is the most tropical place just based on temperature?

Edited March 28, 2010 by Xenon

[happ]

Probably 10 degrees north & south latitude either side of the equator. Don from Manaus lives in the tropics

[Dypsisdean]

And don't forget Happ, that would have to be near sea level as well.

[tropicbreeze]

You need to define precisely what you mean by tropical. Tropical is actually what lies between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn. There's a tremendous variation within that but it's still all tropical.

[aussiearoids]

I stayed on a little island in Indonesia thaqt was right on the equator ,Palau it was pretty tropical there . Its pretty tropical where I live , 2m of rain this year to date .

[Tyrone]

Singapore

[Zeeth]

In certain areas 5 degrees north or south of the equator, they have a tropical rainforest climate, where every day is hot and rainy. No dry season and no spring fall or winter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_rainforest_climate

[Xenon]

You need to define precisely what you mean by tropical. Tropical is actually what lies between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn. There's a tremendous variation within that but it's still all tropical.

The year-round warmest place in the tropics.

[bubba]

Xenon, I believe you are asking where is the hottest(warmest) place in the tropics. Based upon my reading, that is most likely the Danikil Depression of Ethiopia.It is at latitude 14/11.It's annual average temperature is 94F. Compare that to the warmest in the US, which is Key West at 78F.

On average, the temperature in the Danakil Depression exceeds 100F. every day of the year except Jan. and Feb. Then it cools down to a pleasant average high of 97F.The average minimum exceeds 90F. two months of the year. This, of course, does not factor in the exceedingly high relative humidity.

As it relates to real heat instead of simply high temperatures, the summer heat in Bender Qaasim, Somalia has an average high of 105F combined with a relative humidity of 61%(afternoon). This creates a normal temperature humidity index of 145F.The absolute high at this location is 113F.This would create a temperature humidity index of approximately 160F.Ready to pack your bags?

[Xenon]

Xenon, I believe you are asking where is the hottest(warmest) place in the tropics. Based upon my reading, that is most likely the Danikil Depression of Ethiopia.It is at latitude 14/11.It's annual average temperature is 94F. Compare that to the warmest in the US, which is Key West at 78F.

On average, the temperature in the Danakil Depression exceeds 100F. every day of the year except Jan. and Feb. Then it cools down to a pleasant average high of 97F.The average minimum exceeds 90F. two months of the year. This, of course, does not factor in the exceedingly high relative humidity.

As it relates to real heat instead of simply high temperatures, the summer heat in Bender Qaasim, Somalia has an average high of 105F combined with a relative humidity of 61%(afternoon). This creates a normal temperature humidity index of 145F.The absolute high at this location is 113F.This would create a temperature humidity index of approximately 160F.Ready to pack your bags?

Sure sounds like a good place to grow brown palms...

-Jonathan

[epicure3]

Singapore

I second that.

[palmsOrl]

I read about 10 years ago that the Fernando de Noronha islands (just a bit off shore of north-east Brazil) had the climate with the least variation between absolute highs and lows. From what I recall, the lowest recorded was like 67 F and the highest was 90 F (or something like that). That must surely be a contender for the most tropical place, based on what we palm enthusiasts collectively have in mind when we think "tropical".

-Michael

[JEFF IN MODESTO]

Bangkok, Thailand

[Tyrone]

Singapore

I second that.

It's the native area for Cyrtostachys renda. I think that's as tropical as anyone needs to go. No dry season there really, always humid, much more than Thailand. Thai people find it very humid in Singapore. That's saying something.

Best regards

Tyrone

[bubba]

I prefer KL.

[tropicbreeze]

It'd have to be an island and Singapore would have to be a prime contender. It's near the equator and has enough sea around it. There's probably several islands in that category around the world.

[amazondk]

In certain areas 5 degrees north or south of the equator, they have a tropical rainforest climate, where every day is hot and rainy. No dry season and no spring fall or winter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_rainforest_climate

All I have to do is step outside and I can tell you what tropical is. But, every day is not hot and rainy. And, there is a pronounced dry season. Even in the rainiest part of the Brazilian amazon basin. It is less, but there is a difference. Just how long and how dry depends on factors like El Niño. There are days that are hot and dry. But, when it rains it always drops the temperature from what I would consider hot. That is it falls from maybe 93 to 95 F to 88 to 90 F. Here in Manaus no one considers 88 F as hot. And, the nights are always the same, 72 to 76 F year around. It takes a little longer to hit the lows in the dry season than the rainy season. Here we have two seasons, summer (dry season) and winter (wet season). And, this has nothing to do with the angle of sun as such. The winter is in the southern hemisphere summer and vice versa. It is just a matter of rain. In fact in the rainy season if there is a stretch of no rain days people say it is summer.

I look at it this way. You know you are in the lowland tropics of you never have to think about putting on a jacket or a sweater. And, most people don´t own either. That is unless they have to travel.

This is a normal afternoon in the humid lowland tropics of Amazonia in the middle of the rainforest.

[amazondk]

As a note to the above weather report it just rained in the time since then and the temperature has dropped to 27 C or 80.6 F. If the sun comes back out the temperature will jump back up. But, since it is 1710 in the afternoon right now and the sun will set in less than an hour it is unlikely that it will get any warmer until tomorrow morning.

dk

[Zeeth]

Don, I know one season is drier than the other, hence making it the dry season, but do any months have mean precipitation values of below 60 mm (2.36 inches)? If yes, then it is a true dry season, but if not, then it is still a "wet" season by the rule book.

As for most ultra tropical place, I'd have to say Singapore is definitely a contender.

[Tyrone]

In certain areas 5 degrees north or south of the equator, they have a tropical rainforest climate, where every day is hot and rainy. No dry season and no spring fall or winter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_rainforest_climate

All I have to do is step outside and I can tell you what tropical is. But, every day is not hot and rainy. And, there is a pronounced dry season. Even in the rainiest part of the Brazilian amazon basin. It is less, but there is a difference. Just how long and how dry depends on factors like El Niño. There are days that are hot and dry. But, when it rains it always drops the temperature from what I would consider hot. That is it falls from maybe 93 to 95 F to 88 to 90 F. Here in Manaus no one considers 88 F as hot. And, the nights are always the same, 72 to 76 F year around. It takes a little longer to hit the lows in the dry season than the rainy season. Here we have two seasons, summer (dry season) and winter (wet season). And, this has nothing to do with the angle of sun as such. The winter is in the southern hemisphere summer and vice versa. It is just a matter of rain. In fact in the rainy season if there is a stretch of no rain days people say it is summer.

I look at it this way. You know you are in the lowland tropics of you never have to think about putting on a jacket or a sweater. And, most people don´t own either. That is unless they have to travel.

This is a normal afternoon in the humid lowland tropics of Amazonia in the middle of the rainforest.

Don, I think your area and Singapore would be almost identical. It doesn't rain every day in Singapore itself (maybe the heat island effect) but it would rain every day in a 60km radius of Singapore somewhere. It's basically 32C every day in Singapore, and nights are almost always 24-26C and it's always ultra high humidity. I think a dry day for them would be 65% RH. It always feels like it's in the 80-100% area. I've never seen the sun shine in a blue sky in Singapore ever.

Best regards

Tyrone

[amazondk]

Tyrone,

I this subject has come up a few times over the years and I posted some charts on climate data. Singapore and Manaus have very similar climates. Except that we have a longer and more pronounced dry season and therefore the seasonal temperatures get a little hotter. Belem on the mouth of the Amazon River is a little more like Singapore. But, it still has a more pronounced dry season. See the charts below.

Zeeth,

There is normally no month with no rain and in most years from your definition there would be no dry month. But, it can go several months with little or no rain. Last years dry season there was about 3 months with little of no rain. It was a brutal dry season. This was impacted by El Niño. You should come here in September when the daily temperatures are over 100 F in the shade often, it has not rained for a month except some sporadic shower, there is dust and smoke in the air and tell me if it is a dry season or not. I do not think you can really define such things by the book. Our sun is so direct that with no rain things dry out real fast. A big difference is that in Florida the dry season is the winter and the coldest part of the year, normally, and here it is the hottest part of the year. An interesting note is that in other parts of Brazil when they have temperatures similar to our dry season or summer, they complain all the time about the heat, fall over from heat exhaustion, etc. Here no one seems to even notice it. It is just part of the yearly flow of the climate.

I have posted these graphs before. They are pretty good as showing the mean climate averages around the world.

I would say that all three are equally tropical by the definition of tropical. The equatorial lowland humid tropics have a lot in common around the world.

Manaus -

Belem

Singapore

[JASON M]

The Sahara Desert is the most tropical and wet place on Earth.

[Xenon]

Record Lows from Tropical Locations around the world:

*all temps in celcius

Nansha Dao, China:20.1

Takaroa, French Polynesia:19.5

Maopoopo, Futana:19

Bonriki, Kiribati:21

London, Kiribati:21

Atorare, Kiribati:20.7

Beru, Kiribati:20.3

Banaba, Kiribati:20

Majuro, Marshall Islands:20

Kwajalein, Marshall Islands:20

Truk, Micronesia:19

Queen Beatrix Airport, Aruba:20.3

Flamingo Airport, Bonaire:19.8

Hato Airport, Curacao:19

Willemstad, Curacao:19

Fakaofo, Tokelau:19

Koror, Palau:20

Port Victoria, Seychelles:19.3

Rawinsonde, Seychelles:19.6

Singapore Airport, Singapore:19.4

Funafuti, Tuvalu:20

Niulakita, Tuvalu:20

Nui, Tuaralen:19.5

[Xenon]

The Sahara Desert is the most tropical and wet place on Earth.

The Sahara can get pretty cold at night. Agree with the wet part though

-Jonathan

Edited March 30, 2010 by Xenon

[tropicbreeze]

You need to look more than at the monthly averages, you also need to look at the extremes. Take Darwin, averages show a year round relatively even temperature range. If you look at the extremes you see some significant spikes.

This is a good fairly indicative chart from Wikipedia for Darwin.

[Cristóbal]

12 C - 51 F for record low in this latitude of 12 south, and by the very warm ocean ? This is some surprise and more because the land is flat - no mountains to bring the more colder air down.

Edited March 31, 2010 by Cristóbal

[Tyrone]

12 C - 51 F for record low in this latitude of 12 south, and by the very warm ocean ? This is some surprise and more because the land is flat - no mountains to bring the more colder air down.

The interior of the country can get quite cold and if that happens to sneak up to Darwin on a clear night with a southerly or south easterly wind it can cool down that close to the water. The interior would have been close to freezing to do that to Darwin though. And Darwin would still get to 32C during the day after that.

If you go inland from Darwin to Katherine the mins drop right off.

best regards

Tyrone

[tropicbreeze]

12 C - 51 F for record low in this latitude of 12 south, and by the very warm ocean ? This is some surprise and more because the land is flat - no mountains to bring the more colder air down.

The interior of the country can get quite cold and if that happens to sneak up to Darwin on a clear night with a southerly or south easterly wind it can cool down that close to the water. The interior would have been close to freezing to do that to Darwin though. And Darwin would still get to 32C during the day after that.

If you go inland from Darwin to Katherine the mins drop right off.

best regards

Tyrone

As Tyrone said, when the air moves across the continental land mass in the dry season humidity is low. Dry air will heat and cool more extremely than humid air. But keep in mind, the record of 10.4C was the lowest ever for Darwin airport which is inland from the city. The lowest ever recorded for Darwin City which is on the coast was 13.4C, from records going back to 1885. It was on the chart but I probably should have noted in the text that the figures were from the airport rather than the city.

[John Case]

New Guinea...

[amazondk]

I think this subject is sort of like defining what a beautiful woman should be like. There are a lot of places around the world with similar lowland humid tropical climates which in my definition is the most tropical of climates due to the stablitiy of temperatures and relatively high rainfall througout the year. It is kind of like being in Montana. If it is minus 20 C or minus 40 C outside does it really make a difference? The same thing in the kind of climate I live in. If there is 2,500 mms of rain a year, or 3,500 mms of rain a year, or if the nightly temps are 22 C or 24 C, and the daily highs are 32 C or 38 C, does it really make any difference. It really does not. Then you end up with which of the places with similar climates is more appealing. I was in Singapore in the early 90´s and found the climate very similar to Manaus. But, that it where it ended. The place is totally different. And, although Manaus is far from as clean and organized than Singapore, I will take Manaus any day as a place to be. And, you can chew bubble gum here as well.

dk

[tropicbreeze]

Definitely DK, that was what I was angling at with my first comment at the start of the thread. I've never stayed in Singapore, only been through. Must go some time though. It's closer (or about as close) to where I live than our capital city of Canberra. Although, the idea of being arrested for looking sideways doesn't appeal.

John, New Guinea is a mixed bag. It's a big island with a large range of climates, although most in top end range of tropical. It's the only place in Oceania other than New Zealand which has permanent snow. Not even Australia has that distinction. I haven't been to West Papua, only Papua New Guinea and the lowland/coastal areas there are very definitely, very tropical.

[John Case]

Definitely DK, that was what I was angling at with my first comment at the start of the thread. I've never stayed in Singapore, only been through. Must go some time though. It's closer (or about as close) to where I live than our capital city of Canberra. Although, the idea of being arrested for looking sideways doesn't appeal.

John, New Guinea is a mixed bag. It's a big island with a large range of climates, although most in top end range of tropical. It's the only place in Oceania other than New Zealand which has permanent snow. Not even Australia has that distinction. I haven't been to West Papua, only Papua New Guinea and the lowland/coastal areas there are very definitely, very tropical.

If I'm going to New Guinea, the last thing I would want to see is snow......the mention of sea level in previous posts is what sparked my response. I am certai nthat with a little research we could find hundreds of little atolls which are totally tropical, if tenuous. My point is and was that for tropical, NG is what comes to mind, including head hunters, bugs, and mud.

[amazondk]

This is my definition of tropical, an afternoon swim in the Negro River. The water is warm and the air surrounds you in humidity. The water is rising slowly at my place in the country and the beach gets better every day. On the left side of the first picture a Leopoldina pulchara is growing up out of the water. This only happens in the most tropical of places.

dk

[Jason Baker Portugal]

Most of you are talking about equatorial weather. I agree that one should indicate what he means by tropical. Desert? Rainforest? Savana?

Jason

[amazondk]

Jason,

You have a very good point. If one looks straight west from where I am this is easily seen. I am in a humid lowland tropical climate in a rainforest. Quito, Ecuador is almost straight west of me with a high altitude equatorial climate where it is cool. And, on the other side of the Andes is Guayaguil which has a near desert tropical climate. Aside from the Colombian coast the tropical Pacific coast of South America is mostly desert. There is a difference from those that live in the tropics and those that don´t. And, those that are happy with the climate where they live and those that are not. The world is full of a lot of different types of tropics like it is of a lot of things.

dk

[Xenon]

Most of you are talking about equatorial weather. I agree that one should indicate what he means by tropical. Desert? Rainforest? Savana?

Jason

I beleive this thread is leaning towards rainforest, but I ment to include anywhere in the tropics with constant temperatures, and very high average/record lows. This doesn't take into account rainfall,humidity,or UV, just temperatures.

[ariscott]

I am from Indonesia originally... so I am bias. If I have to pick an ideal tropical place to be (even though Darwin is in the tropics as well), I would choose Bogor. Perfect!!! It is slightly elevated and high rainfall. Everything grows in the full sun!!!

Darwin is a good compromise though. I am not complaining. I just have to grow sensitive stuff under protection.

Regards, Ari

[tropicbreeze]

Ari, I'd agree. Haven't been to Bogor (or Indonesia even) but because it's a collection of thousands of islands spread across the equator the situation is ideal. In Africa and the Americas the equator sits over continental land masses which can cause lower humidity and increased temperature fluctuations. Darwin has a large continental land mass to the south where the dry season winds come from. Hence the greater fluctuations in humidity and temperature.

[amazondk]

Ari, I'd agree. Haven't been to Bogor (or Indonesia even) but because it's a collection of thousands of islands spread across the equator the situation is ideal. In Africa and the Americas the equator sits over continental land masses which can cause lower humidity and increased temperature fluctuations. Darwin has a large continental land mass to the south where the dry season winds come from. Hence the greater fluctuations in humidity and temperature.

Zig,

That is true regarding the climate in certain parts of South America, especially the Brazilian northeast which has a semi-arid near desert climate. Although the temperature fluctuations are minimal there the percipitation does. But, over the vast area of the Amazon Basin, roughly the size of Austrailia, the climate for the most part is the same as Singapore and parts of Indonesia which are surrounded by water. The forest itself is one of the major weather machines of our continent.

dk

[ariscott]

Ari, I'd agree. Haven't been to Bogor (or Indonesia even) but because it's a collection of thousands of islands spread across the equator the situation is ideal. In Africa and the Americas the equator sits over continental land masses which can cause lower humidity and increased temperature fluctuations. Darwin has a large continental land mass to the south where the dry season winds come from. Hence the greater fluctuations in humidity and temperature.

In that argument, why is FNQ wet tropics?? I guess because Darwin is straight bang in the middle of the Top End? Not trying to argue.... just want to know...

Regards, Ari