Costa Rica Weather
Costa Rica weather can vary greatly depending on what area of the
country you are visiting. Here is a breakdown of six different regions and the
weather you can expect there.
Central Valley: (including parts of San Jose, Cartago, Heredia, and Alajuela)
o Climate varies from warm and dry to humid and chilly(depending on which side of valley you are on)
o Temperature varies from 71F (Western San Jose suburb of Pavas) to 62F (Fraijanes) depending on which side of Valley you are visiting
o Rainfall also varies greatly from 77 inches a year in Pavas to 127 inches a year in Fraijanes.
o Long rainy days are rare even in rainy seasons in Central Valley
o Mornings are clear with a few hours of heavy rainfall for a few hours in the afternoon
o There are windy conditions and cool nights during the dry seasons (December and January)
North Pacific: Guanacaste, western section of Alajuela, and northern section of Puntarenas)
o One of the most visited regions with great beaches
o Liberia is the main region ad has an annual temperature of 86F with high temperatures of 90F from February to April
o It is Costa Rica’s sunniest region but still has afternoon showers from June through October (Except in July during its dry spell called “veranillo” or little summer)
o This region has an average annual rainfall of 55 inches
Central Pacific: (Parts of Puntarenas and San Jose starting from Tárcoles River to the Baru River)
o This region includes many great beach areas
o In Puntarenas, daytime temperatures reach low 90’s throughout the year
o Hottest months are March through May
o The dry season lasts from January to March
o Rain showers occur most afternoons in other parts of the year
South Pacific: (Part of Puntarenas)
o This region ranges from great mountains to rainforests in the Osa Peninsula
o This region has a very dry season (January to mid April) and a rainy season(May to December)
o Temperatures along the coast average 80’s through 90’s throughout the year
o There are more moderate temperatures of 70’s and 80’s in the Valle del General with morning temperatures in the 50’s.
o Rainfall varies from 120 inches a year in the Valle del General to 200 inches a year in the Osa Peninsula
o October is the rainiest month while February is the driest month
Caribbean: (Limon)
o This is the most humid and rainiest region
o Downpours can last for days due to constant humidity
o Temperatures in the coastal areas and southern Talamanca Mountains average low 80’s
o May, June, and October are the hottest months
o Lower temperatures occur in December through February
o Rain occurs throughout the year but there are clear conditions during September and October
o In the Turrialba region, June and November are the rainiest months and temperatures are slightly cooler
Northern Zone: Parts of Guanacaste, Alajuela and Limon)
o Temperatures vary depending on altitude
o High elevation have average temperature in the low to mid 60’s while the lowlands have average temperatures in the upper 70’s to 80’s all year
o April and May are the hottest months while December and January are the coolest
o The mountain regions expect 140 inches or more a year while the lowlands expect about 100 inches
