Climate of Meta

The department of Meta is the gateway to the Eastern Plains of Colombia. Villavicencio, its capital, is only 80 km from Bogotá but at 467 meters above sea level, giving it a temperature of 26 °C, notably warmer than the capital. "Villavo" receives the most intense rainfall of the plains foothill —over 4,000 mm annually— making it one of the rainiest cities in Colombia despite its moderate altitude. Moving into the Meta plains, the climate becomes more continental: drier in summer, with massive floods in winter. The municipality of La Macarena, in the south, holds the natural jewel of Caño Cristales, whose best season depends directly on the rainfall regime.

THERMAL FLOORS OF META

Temperature in Meta varies by altitude. These are the department's thermal floors:

Thermal Floor	Altitude	Temperature	Municipalities
Humid temperate foothill	300 – 1,000 m	22 – 28 °C	Villavicencio, Acacías, Cumaral
Warm plains	100 – 300 m	28 – 34 °C	Puerto López, Puerto Gaitán, La Macarena

RAINY AND DRY SEASONS IN META

Unimodal regime: rainy April–November (peak June–August), dry December–March. Villavicencio receives 4,200 mm annually. La Macarena has a similar but less extreme pattern. Caño Cristales: best time June–November when the macarenia (red algae) bloom; closed December–May for recovery.

TEMPERATURE BY MUNICIPALITY IN META

Average annual temperatures of the main municipalities of Meta:

Municipality	Average Temperature
Villavicencio	26 °C
Acacías	24 °C
Puerto López	31 °C
Puerto Gaitán	32 °C
Granada	26 °C
La Macarena	28 °C
Cumaral	24 °C
San Martín	27 °C

BEST TIME TO VISIT META

December–March: plains dry season, livestock tourism, wildlife spotting in wetlands. June–November: Caño Cristales (World Heritage Site), forests at their maximum splendor. For Villavicencio (foothill): pleasant all year although July–August are the rainiest.