Climate and Weather

Click on the weather-maps below and don't worry about the weather, even during rainy season there is a daily average of 5 hours sunshine.

Like many tropical countries, Costa Rica experiences two seasons, the wet and the dry, rather than the four seasons of temperate regions. The dry season verano (summer), last from about December to April. The rest of the year tends to be wet and is called invierno (winter).

In the highlands, the dry season really is dry, with only one or two rainy days per month. It can however, rain up to 20 days per month in the wet season. the north and central Pacific coastal regions have rain patterns similar to the highlands, while the southern Pacific coast can experience rain year-round, though less so in the dry season.

The Caribbean coastal region is rainy year-round, with September, October, February, and March having the least rainfall. the drier months are characterized by fewer rainy days and spells of fine weather sometimes lasting a week or more. Rain tends to be torrential, usually lasting a few hours rather than all day.

Temperatures vary little from season to season, and the main influencing factor is altitude. San José. at 1150 m, has a climate the locals refer to as 'eternal spring'. Lows average a mild 15ºC year-round, while highs are a pleasant 26ºC. The coasts are much hotter - the Caribbean averages 21ºC at night and over 30ºC during the day; the Pacific is 2ºC or 3ºC warmer. Visitors used to a more temperate climate may find the high heat und humidity of the coastal areas oppressive, but most acclimatize after a few days.

Pictures by Angela and Jörn Malek. The team of 1-CostaRicaLink wishes you the best of times in our little paradise called Costa Rica.