The Climate of Costa Rica
Weather in Costa Rica has two distinct seasons. One is dry and the other is the wet season which is sometimes referred to as the wet season. Most of the country experiences the dry season from December through April and the rainy season is May through November
Although Costa Rica is a small country in terms of area, there
is a lot going on here in terms of weather in Costa Rica. With a climate that is
diverse and varied, Costa Rica can be divided into several climatic zones, each
of which are distinct and individual. Though generally classified as a tropical
country because of its close proximity to the equator, Costa Rica has no real
winter period, and the sun shines here throughout the year. With over 12 hours
of sunshine a day, the sun rises at about 5 am and sets at about 6 pm
consistently throughout the year.
The main reason for the diversity in Costa Rica’s weather is the various
elevations at which different parts of the country are located. For example
Guanacaste has a dry arid climate as it sits on the lowlands, while Montverde a
highland city that is misty and foggy throughout the year due to its higher
elevation. The Central Valley with San Jose enjoys the best climate in the
country as the weather here has an average of 22 degrees Celsius or 72 degrees
Fahrenheit and is tempered with a cool coastal breeze. In the highlands the
temperature averages 13 degree Celsius, while in the lowlands or at sea level
the temperature stays at around 26 degrees Celsius or 79 degrees Fahrenheit,
with hot days and sultry evenings.
In Costa Rica the average annual temperature is around 21 to 27 degrees Celsius
or 70 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit and the coolest months of the year are November,
December and January. Avoid visiting Costa Rica from March through May as the
weather can get quite sizzling and humid during this period.
There is no real summer or winter in Costa Rica and the rainy season here lasts
from May to November, with the months of December through April having little to
no rain and September and October being the heaviest rain period. While the
average rainfall in the country is around 100 inches, some mountainous areas get
as much as 25 feet of rainfall on a yearly basis. It is also important to keep
in mind that Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast is rather unique and has its own
microclimate. With trade winds keeping the weather hot and humid most of the
year, there is no real dry season out here and it rains very often.
