Weather in Costa Rica

Climate in Costa Rica: 

Costa Rica lies within the tropical belt, bordered by the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, imparting distinctive tropical features to its ecological environment, including lush forests, a complex hydrographic network, and a warm climate. The adaptation of fauna and flora to these conditions categorizes it as a tropical country.

Costa Rica’s tropical climate is influenced and modified by various factors, including topography, geographical location with respect to the continent, oceanic influence, and general atmospheric circulation. The interaction of these geographical, atmospheric, and oceanic elements is crucial for the climatic regionalization of the country.

Pacific and Caribbean Slopes: The northwest-southeast orientation of the mountains divides the country into two main slopes: the Pacific and the Caribbean. Each presents a distinct climatic regime, with well-defined dry and rainy seasons in the Pacific, while the Caribbean experiences significant rainfall throughout the year, without a clearly defined dry season.

Details of the Slopes:

Pacific Slope:

• Dry season from December to March, with April as a transitional month.
• Rainy season from May to October, with September and October as the rainiest months.
• “Veranillo” phenomenon in July and August due to the intensification of trade winds.
• Average temperatures: Maximum of 32°C in March, Minimum of 23°C in December.

Caribbean Slope:

• Significant precipitation throughout the year.
• Two relatively dry periods between February-March and September-October.
• Main rainy periods from November to January and from May to August, with a peak in July.
• December is the rainiest month due to the influence of Northern Hemisphere cold fronts.
• Average temperatures: Maximum of 30°C in August, Minimum of 21°C in January.

Major Climatic Regions: The varied climatic conditions in Costa Rica allow for the identification of seven major climatic regions. Some of these include:

Guanacaste:

• Dry season from December to March.
• Rainy season from May to August.
• Average temperatures: Maximum of 34°C in March, Minimum of 25°C in December.

Central Pacific:

• Two physiographic units: Cordillera de Talamanca and Osa Peninsula.
• Dry season from January to March, with a rainy period between May and August.
• Average temperatures: Maximum of 29°C in February, Minimum of 22°C in July.

South Pacific:

• Similar to the Central Pacific in terms of climatic regime.
• Average temperatures: Maximum of 29°C in February, Minimum of 22°C in July.

Central Valley:

• Divided into Western and Eastern Central Valley.
• Dry period between December and March, rainy between May and October.
• Average temperatures: Maximum of 25°C in March, Minimum of 15°C in January.

Northern Plains:

• Belongs to the Caribbean precipitation regime, rainy throughout the year.
• Rainy period from May to December/January.
• Average temperatures: Maximum of 30°C in August, Minimum of 23°C in January.

North and South Caribbean:

• Differences in annual rainfall between the northern and southern parts.
• Average temperatures: Maximum of 31°C in August, Minimum of 24°C in January.

The climatic diversity of Costa Rica is reflected in these seven major climatic regions, each with its unique characteristics. For additional information on Costa Rica’s climatic conditions, you can visit the website of the Costa Rican Meteorological Institute: www.imn.ac.cr.

SAN JOSÉ PROVINCE
GUANACASTE
PUNTARENAS
LIMON
MANUEL ANTONIO
LA FORTUNA