Weather and Climate in Costa Rica

With a location between 8 ° and 11 ° north latitude, Costa Rica is in the tropics, the climate has a rainy and a dry season. The dry season usually lasts from the end of December to April, the rainy season the rest of the year. However , the amounts of precipitation differ considerably in the individual regions. On the Caribbean coast fall almost twice as much rainfall as in the lowlands along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The temperatures are in

Costa Rica has little seasonal differences, the temperature is mostly influenced by the altitude. To 600-1650 meters height (San Jose, Monteverde and the Arenal Volcano) we find an “eternal spring” with minimum temperatures around 15 ° C and highs averaging 26 ° C. It can rain all year round. In the fields of up to 3,300 meters, the temperatures are lower, between 10 to 16 ° C. On the high peaks of Cerro Chirripó and the Irazú volcano, it usually does not get warmer than 7 ° C. Both the Pacific and the Caribbean coast

are relatively hot and humid all year round, the humidity can be exhausting. On the northwest coast of Costa Rica (Puntarenas) there is little or no precipitation between December and April. Then it is dry, hot and sunny here. The gentle sea breeze, which provides a bit of cooling, is also particularly pleasant. From May to November the first half of the day is still sunny, but it often rains at noon. In September and October it can be quite stormy. The further south you are on the Pacific coast, the greater the chance of rain. On the Caribbean coast (Puerto Limón) there is actually no real rainy or dry season. Under the influence of the trade winds and the weather conditions on the Atlantic Ocean, tropical rain showers fall all year round. Only in January, February and March there is less precipitation and every year there is a short dry period in August / September. From September to February it can rain again for days, but mostly the day starts with sunshine and the rain does not start until the afternoon. The wettest months here are July and November. In general, is best time, Costa Rica to visit the dry season from December to April. However, dry season does not mean that it is not raining, just that it rains less. The best time to visit Costa Rica is for the interior and the Pacific coast from November to April. From May to October is the rainy season with heavier precipitation and high humidity. On the Caribbean coast you have to expect rainfall all year round. The cheapest travel time is February and March and September and October. Hurricane season is from July to October. The first months of the rainy season (May to July) are also a very good time to be in Costa Rica to travel. Later in the rainy season (September & October), travel becomes more difficult as rivers swell and roads can become muddy. Remote locations may then no longer be accessible by public transport.

School holidays in Costa Rica are from December to February. You have to reckon with quite overcrowded seaside resorts, especially on weekends. Accommodation during Semana Santa is usually booked months in advance. Surfers find bigger and faster waves on the Pacific coast during the rainy season, with peaks in the rainiest months of September and October. The Caribbean has good waves between November and May.

The best time to observe the quetzal is between November and April, for leatherback turtles from April to May, and for green turtles from August to September.

Average daytime temperature

Region

Jan

Feb

March

Apr

May

June

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Liberia

32 ° C

33 ° C

34 ° C

35 ° C

33 ° C

31 ° C

31 ° C

31 ° C

30 ° C

30 ° C

31 ° C

31 ° C

Limón

30 ° C

30 ° C

30 ° C

31 ° C

31 ° C

31 ° C

30 ° C

30 ° C

30 ° C

31 ° C

30 ° C

30 ° C

Puntarenas

34 ° C

35 ° C

35 ° C

35 ° C

33 ° C

33 ° C

32 ° C

33 ° C

32 ° C

32 ° C

32 ° C

33 ° C

San Jose

24 ° C

24 ° C

26 ° C

27 ° C

27 ° C

27 ° C

26 ° C

26 ° C

27 ° C

26 ° C

25 ° C

24 ° C

Average night temperature

Region

Jan

Feb

March

Apr

May

June

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Liberia

22 ° C

23 ° C

23 ° C

26 ° C

25 ° C

24 ° C

24 ° C

23 ° C

23 ° C

23 ° C

22 ° C

22 ° C

Limón

20 ° C

20 ° C

21 ° C

22 ° C

22 ° C

22 ° C

22 ° C

22 ° C

22 ° C

22 ° C

22 ° C

21 ° C

Puntarenas

22 ° C

22 ° C

23 ° C

24 ° C

23 ° C

22 ° C

22 ° C

23 ° C

23 ° C

23 ° C

23 ° C

23 ° C

San Jose

14 ° C

14 ° C

15 ° C

16 ° C

16 ° C

16 ° C

16 ° C

16 ° C

16 ° C

15 ° C

15 ° C

15 ° C

Average water temperature

Region

Jan

Feb

March

Apr

May

June

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Limón

27 ° C

26 ° C

26 ° C

27 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

29 ° C

28 ° C

27 ° C

27 ° C

Puntarenas

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

28 ° C

Average hours of sunshine / day

Region	Jan	Feb	March	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Limón	5	5	6	6	6	4	4	5	5	5	5	5
Puntarenas	9	9	9	9	7	5	5	6	5	5	6	8
San Jose	7	8	8	7	5	4	4	4	5	4	4	6

Average rainy days / month

Region	Jan	Feb	March	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Liberia	0	0	0	0	3	4	3	7	8	7	3	0
Limón	17	14	13	13	15	16	20	18	13	17	16	18
Puntarenas	1	1	1	2	11	15	15	16	17	18	7	4
San Jose	1	0	1	4	17	20	18	19	20	22	14	4