Rainy Season in Costa Rica
A time when you realize there are more variations of the color green than you could have ever imagined. There are only two seasons here; dry season (summer) typically December – April and invierno (winter) May – November. The winters are also called rainy or green season for a very good reason. During these months all the foliage that had become dried and brown during the summer come alive again with the first rains and explode in a cacophony of verde!
Tourists always ask if it is worth coming to Costa Rica during Green Season. The answer is YES! It is a great time to explore the rainforests, microclimates, go white water rafting or surfing as this is when the biggest swells come ashore. You will also most likely experience smaller crowds, cheaper prices and long stretches of beach without another person in sight. July and August are also the best time of year for scuba diving! The water is warm, clear and abundant with sea life. You can visit Islas Murciélago and experience the thrill of diving with Bull sharks. The humpback whales are also here with their calves around August through October and makes for a great time to go whale watching. It is also sunset season! You will be amazed at the show mother nature puts on every evening especially in rainy season. There is a reason you will see the beaches full of people every day waiting for the next performance.
Rainfall can vary greatly by region. For the most part in places like Guanacaste, the rain does not fall all day in a constant downpour. The showers are refreshing but still warm. The mornings are typically hot and dry with rain showers showing up in the afternoons and evenings. In other areas like Golfito in the south can see far more rain. October is the month with the most rainfall when rain falls for 21 days and accumulates 581mm (22.87″) of precipitation. The dry season can last only 3 months (Jan-April). There is really nothing else like a tropical rain storm! Everyone should experience it in their lifetime.
There is also the mini break around July or August known as veranillo (little summer) when there is a break in the rainfall and there a few weeks of dry hot weather. Rainy season the rest of the country is also the dry season on the Caribbean side and areas like Arenal. So if you need a break from the showers you can head over for a mini break.
A hurricane has never made landfall in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is spared the onslaught of hurricanes due to its position so close to the Equator and the Coriolis effect ( the Coriolis Effect initiates and helps maintain the rotation of a tropical hurricane. This rotational force is zero at the equator and increases as you travel away from the equator, being greatest at the poles.). – However, we have experienced the effects of hurricanes that have touched down in Nicaragua like Otto in November 2016 and the TWO hurricanes that hit within 13 days of each other and in almost the exact same spot in November 2020 (Eta and Iota) . The massive rain and winds still caused a large amount of flooding and damage here. Flooding, washed out roads or landslides are common during rainy season. It is very important to watch for upcoming weather alerts or systems. It can change dramatically and fast! The best place to look for weather alerts or information is with the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional which can be found online here. Another great resource is Windy.com – which also has a easy to use app for your phone so you can keep up to date on the move. However, even these are not really accurate and always best to keep an eye on the skies. During heavy rain systems it is wise to limit your driving during the storms, especially at night when conditions can be unpredictable and visibility exceptionally poor. The weather here is hard to predict due to having oceans on both sides, mountainous regions and being so close to the equator.
The weather is one crucial reason why it’s important to try living in different areas of the country before you decide where you would like to settle in permanently. You may THINK you want to live in Guanacaste year round and you REALLY love hot weather, and then you experience your first windless hellfire heat of April. One of the many advantages to living here in Costa Rica you are almost always only a couple of hours away from a different climate. If you find yourself suffering in the summer heat in the beach areas – you can hop in a car or a bus and escape to the mountains for cooler air and possible rain showers. It is also something to think about when calculating your living budget – if you choose to live in the hotter drier climates are you ready to pay for the big electrical bill for using your AC unit or go without and try and get through it with a tico style house and no cooling ability? There are areas in the Central Valley that seem to provide a great balance of comfortable temperatures and moderate rainfall such as Atenas and Heredia.
Everyone is different and that is why Cost Rica is so great – there is really something for everyone weather wise. It is also one of the reasons most seasoned ExPats will always tell you “Rent before you buy – at least for a year”. I am from Vancouver Island BC Canada so I am used to a lot of rain. There is rain and there is RAIN. Some may find it daunting living in a forever damp or rainy environment or the same could be said for those living in the drier hotter climates of Costa Rica.
One of the most important abilities to have to thrive while living in Costa Rica is the ability to roll with the punches and be flexible – and the weather is no exception to that rule. We are frequently reminded of the power of Mother Nature here and I am grateful for it.