Whats the weather like at the equator?
Most locations near the equator are hot, as solar insolation, which combines the effects of sun angle and day length, is fairly constant year round. Due to this lack of yearly variability, locations near the equator don’t experience four seasons. Sunlight is most intense on the fall and spring equinoxes as the sun is directly overhead. Even with intense sunlight, it can get cold at the equator if you climb high enough. Mt. Kilimanjaro, for example, is very close to the equator (3° S), yet is topped with a glacier due to its summit elevation of nearly 20,000 feet. Locations at the equator do not have to deal with hurricanes or large storm systems. Without the Coriolis force to act on developing storms, little or no rotation is associated with storms that form at the equator. Learn more about the global energy balance on this USA TODAY resource page.
