Costa Rica is a Spanish republic located in Central America, with coasts on the Pacific Ocean as well as Caribbean Sea. Comprised of lush forests, protected parks, dream beaches, and tall mountains, Costa Rica is a major tourism location. Whether interested in laying on the beach, or enjoying the amazing sights of inland mountains, there is something for everyone. The key is deciding what time of year to visit.
Considered a tropical savanna climate, the mainland of Costa Rica and it’s islands has annual weather conditions that can be very ideal for vacationing. Because Costa Rica is so close to the equator (about 10 degrees North), there is a year long excess of sunlight. For most of us at higher latitudes living with the joy of winter, this immediately sounds excellent. There are really no seasons in terms of temperature. Along the coasts where the elevation is lowest, the temperatures are consistently warmer, with daily averages holding in the 80s. There are very little fluctuations from day to day, and from month to month. Further inland in the mountains, temperatures run at least 10 degrees cooler, still providing excellent conditions for outdoor activities such as hiking or kayaking.
Now that you don’t have to worry about your vacation being ruined by temperatures that are more like North America than Central America, you can plan your trip for anytime of the year! Let’s just hope it doesn’t rain all week like last vacation. O wait, rain. I forgot about that. Since Costa Rica is known for it’s lush RAIN forests, they probably get some of that. It’s true. Coastal locations can average over 130 inches of rain per year, with inland locations at higher elevations averaging around 75 inches. Because Costa Rica falls in the path of the easterly trade winds, weather will move from the east coast inland, over the mountains, and to the other side. This causes the higher rainfall amounts to occur on the eastern coasts, rather than the western coasts. The winds pick up moisture over the warm Caribbean, and dump rain as they rise up the slopes of the mountains. Just great. Now how do you decide when to travel? Well, remember when I said Costa Rica has no seasons? I apologize, but I lied. They do experience a difference in seasons, but not in terms of temperature. Rather, Costa Rica experiences a monsoon, which is defined as a seasonal shift in the wind direction. Time for a quick science lesson. As the Earth revolves around the Sun, the location of the solar equator (place where Sun is directly overhead), shifts between the tropics due to the tilt of the Earth. This location receives more direct solar radiation, and the result is more rising air. As this warm humid air rises, the result is an almost constant belt of precipitation that spans the globe. As the months pass, the location of this precipitation band moves. During the summer this band is further north, while it is further south during the winter. Because of Costa Rica’s latitude, the precipitation band will always pass overhead during the year, leading to dramatic increases in precipitation amounts. For the most part, Costa Rica will see an increase in rain during the late spring months to the early fall months, with a maximum usually occurring around July. The winter months however typically see far less precipitation, especially locations further inland and on the western coasts. Also, late summer and early fall can be an especially risky time because of the hurricane season (August to November) and Costa Rica’s proximity to common hurricane paths.
The moral of the story? The best time to take a trip to Costa Rica is statistically during the winter months of December to April. For most of us, this is great because this is typically when our winter occurs (sorry for excluding the Southern Hemisphere). It’s a chance to get away from the depressing cold, windy, snowy, and cloudy weather of our beloved hometowns, and go to an exotic tropical location full of amazing sights and opportunities for fun. Additionally, if an individual wants a coastal vacation, the West coast would be a smarter choice.
– All numerical data obtained from weatherbase.com
