 When
talk turns to Costa Rica's climate, hyperbole flows as thick and
as fast as the waterfalls that cascade in ribbons of quicksilver
down through the forest clad mountains. The country likes wholly
within the tropics, yet boasts at least a dozen climate zones
and is markedly diverse in local microclimates, which make generalizations
on temperature and rainfall misleading.
 Most
regions have a rainy season (May-November) and a dry season (December-April).
And the rainfall almost everywhere follows a predictable schedule.
In general, highland ridges are wet and windward sides are the
wettest.
When planning your study abroad
trip, don't be misled by the terms "summer" and "winter",
which Ticos use to designate their wet and dry seasons. The Tico
summer runs from December through April, and occurs in what are
winter months in the Northern Hemisphere, so it can be confusing.
Under any circumstance, do not be put off by the "rainy season".
Costa Rica promotes it as the green season and it is generally
speaking a splendid time to travel.
 Temperature,
dictated more by elevation and location than by season, range
from tropical on the coastal plains to temperate in the interior
highlands.
Mean temperatures average 82
F (27 C) one the coasts and lowlands, and in the central highlands
the average temperatures average 74 F (23 C).
Rain is a fact of life in Costa
Rica. During the rainy season, rains occur in the early afternoons
in the highlands, midafternoons in the Pacific lowlands, and late
afternoons in the Atlantic lowlands. Sometimes it falls in sudden
torrents called aguaceros, sometimes it falls hard and steady,
and many times it is intermittent throughout the afternoon.
Much
of the information on our site as it relates to Costa Rica is:
 Courtesy
of Christopher P. Baker and Avalon Travel Publishing.
© 2004 Christopher P. Baker. All Rights Reserved.
Spanish Abroad, Inc. highly
recommends Christopher P. Baker's book: Moon
Handbooks Costa Rica. Click on the image to visit
his website where you can purchase this book or find out more
about the author.
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