Kingston, Jamaica's Latitude: 18°N – Distance from Equator & Climate Implications
Kingston sits at 17.97° North latitude—approximately 1,995 km (1,240 miles) north of the Equator.
What This Means
- Not "near" the Equator: 18° is solidly tropical but well outside the equatorial belt (0–5°) where day length, temperature, and rainfall are nearly constant year-round.
- Tropical Wet-Dry Climate (Aw): Distinct dry season (Dec–Apr) and wet season (May–Nov) driven by ITCZ migration.
- Day Length Variation: 11h 05m (Dec solstice) → 13h 10m (Jun solstice) – noticeable seasonal change.
- Hurricane Belt: Positioned in the Main Development Region; direct hits (Gilbert 1988, Dean 2007) and near-misses frequent.
Comparison
| City | Latitude | Dist. from Equator |
|---|
| Quito, Ecuador | 0.18°S | 20 km |
| Singapore | 1.35°N | 150 km |
| Kingston, Jamaica | 17.97°N | 1,995 km |
| Miami, USA | 25.76°N | 2,860 km |
Kingston is tropical but distinctly seasonal—not equatorial.
Wanderlust World