One of the most common inquiries we receive when traveling up north, especially in winter is,” What’s the weather like down there in Costa Rica”? A lot. In more temperate zones, like the United Sates and Canada, people are accustomed to four seasons that, although predictable in their coming, include a wide range of weather conditions such as snow, freezing rain, rain, tornados and even hurricanes. Unlike temperate countries however, Costa Rica has only two seasons: The dry season from late November to mid April and the rainy season from May to mid November. That said, because of its location and geography, there are many microclimates depending on what side of the country you’re in or at what altitude. Temperatures vary primarily with elevation, not according to season. Rainfall in Costa Rica results from the interaction of the trade winds with local topography. When moisture-laden air coming in off the Caribbean Sea encounters the coastline, the difference in surface temperature between the land and the water can often trigger showers. Moving further inland the air reaches the eastern foothills of the country's mountainous backbone. As the air mass rises to pass over the barrier, it cools, and because cool air can hold less moisture than warm air, it rains, causing the middle elevations of the Caribbean-facing slopes to be the wettest areas in the country with average annual precipitation of more than 160 inches (4000 mm).
Below we have divided the country into six zones: Central Valley, North Pacific, Central Pacific, South Pacific, Caribbean and Northern Zone, in order to provide a more realistic picture of
costa rica weather trends at a given area and time of year. Of course, it never hurts to check with your local weatherman (or woman) before you travel.
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posted by costa rica weather : 7:52 AM
