Building on earlier forecasts of heavy rains persisting through April, the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (Ideam), led by Ghisliane Echeverry, announced the official start of Colombia's first rainy season of 2026, which is set to continue until mid-June. The announcement follows an atypical first quarter with above-normal rainfall across most departments, preventing the customary dry season from December to March.
Ideam explained that elevated rainfall in the first quarter suppressed the typical dry period, with February and March recording significantly higher-than-normal accumulations, including records in some areas that prompted flood and landslide alerts. 'The accumulations recorded during February and March continue to show values above the climatological averages,' the institute stated.
For the remainder of March, above-normal precipitation is expected in inter-Andean valleys, llanero and Amazon piedmonts, as well as La Guajira, Córdoba, Sucre, Bolívar, and Magdalena. Very heavy showers are forecast for Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Santander, Norte de Santander, Meta, Vichada, Arauca, and parts of La Guajira, while normal levels are anticipated in southern Pacific and Amazon regions.
From April onward, rains are projected to ease slightly below normal levels due to the southward movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, though the core of the rainy season will span April and May, extending overall to mid-June. Ideam reiterated warnings of potential El Niño conditions emerging in the second half of the year, linked to warming in the equatorial Pacific, which could alter patterns later.