Costa Rica's Climate

Costa Rica is a tropical country situated between 8 and 11 degrees above the equator. It has only two seasons: dry and green. The dry season with very little rain is generally between late December and April and the green or wet season lasts the rest of the year - May through November and still offers an average of about 5 hours of daily sunshine. The Caribbean coast doesen't have this extended dry weather and stays green all year round and due to the humidity, tends to be a little oppressive sometimes. The Central Mountainous Region is more temperate.

Temperatures vary little between seasons. The main influence on temperature is altitude. San José at 1150m (3772ft) has a climate which the locals refer to as the "eternal Spring". It has simply delightful weather all year around! Average temperature ranges in San Jose are from 14 to 24 degrees Celsius (57 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) in December to 17 to 27 degrees Celsius (63 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit) in May. The coasts are much hotter, with the Caribbean averaging 21°C (70°F) at night and over 30°C (86°F) during the day. The Pacific side is a few degrees warmer still, but the humidity is generally less, so it tends to be more comfortable.

The Northern Pacific Region is referred to as the "Gold Coast" and has an abundance of large resort hotels because of the drier and sunnier climate. It is also referred to as the "Guanacaste Area", along with the greener, because of more rainfall, of the Central Pacific Region. You can be quite comfortable in the lowlands weather of either side if you dress minimally, don't exercise too much, and limit your exposure to the midday, intense tropical sun. Don't forget to bring your suntan lotion (with sun block protection) and enjoy!