This week showcases the classic canicular period characteristics that we wrote about a couple of weeks back. We’ll have notably windy conditions across Guanacaste and the Central Valley. The strongest gusts will occur from today (Monday) to Wednesday, reaching between 60-80 km/hour (37-50 mph). That’s pretty strong for the region. These winds, combined with occasional mountain drizzle are typical during the canicular dry spell.
While Guanacaste and the Central Valley will experience the dry, windy conditions, other regions show some different patterns:
The Caribbean and Northern Zone of Costa Rica could have rain events during some nights and mornings. This is due to the Caribbean’s wind influence and overall atmospheric instability in those areas.
The Central and South Pacific will keep up with the pattern of partly cloudy mornings or occasional coastal dawn showers, followed by afternoon and early evening rains and isolated storms. Remember, the drier period doesn’t typically stretch down to the Southern Pacific.
Thursday we’ll see a new intrusion of Saharan dust reaching Costa Rica, though current analyses show low concentration levels. Still this could be enough to reinforce the dry conditions while not dramatically impacting the air quality.
That Saharan dust will soak up some of the atmosphere’s moisture but Tropical Wave #18 will pass through Friday and Saturday (yes sorry, it’s almost every weekend, right?). The wave will increase rainfall potential, temporarily interrupting the typical canicular pattern across multiple regions. We hope to have an update on the timing for our Thursday forecast.
Windy conditions with variable cloudiness across Guanacaste and the Central Valley.
Possible rain and showers will affect Limón and the Northern Zone.
The Central and South Pacific will see partial to overcast skies, with possible coastal showers developing on Friday and continuing through the weekend.
Guanacaste ranges from clear to partly cloudy with moderate to strong gusts.
The Central Valley will be partly cloudy with occasional gusts and mountain drizzle.
The Caribbean and Northern Zone will have variable cloudiness with more rain in mountain ranges.
The Central and South Pacific will experience the classic afternoon pattern with rain and thunderstorms starting in the mountains, then extending coastward later in the week.
Windy conditions continue with partly cloudy skies in Guanacaste and the Central Valley.
Limón and the Northern Zone may see ongoing rain and showers.
Total cloud cover develops in the Central and South Pacific with coastal precipitation expected Friday through the weekend.
We’ll see peak winds Monday through Wednesday: Gusts of 60-80 km/hour (37-50 mph) are expected in Guanacaste and the Central Valley areas. Make sure to secure outdoor furniture, awnings, and umbrellas!
Here’s what to expect temperature-wise across Costa Rica’s different regions. Notice the pleasantly cool overnight temperatures, particularly in the Central Valley (13°C/55.4°F), thanks to the clear skies and strong winds during this canicular period.
High: 30° (86°) | Low: 13° (55.4°)
High: 35° (95°) | Low: 19° (66.2°)
High: 32° (89.6°) | Low: 14° (57.2°)
High: 32° (89.6°) | Low: 16° (60.8°)
High: 31° (87.8°) | Low: 18° (64.4°)
High: 33° (91.4°) | Low: 18° (64.4°)
This forecast is based on the weekly outlook shared by Costa Rica’s National Meteorological Institute (IMN).
