| Costa Rica is a tropical paradise lying about 10 | | | | for most of the country is in the mid 20's C (70's |
| degrees North latitude. Since the country is so | | | | F) degree range, with the coastlines averaging |
| close to the equator, you would think that the | | | | higher temperatures (close to 30 C (90 F)) and |
| seasons would be about the same all year round. | | | | the mountain peaks being somewhat frigid. While, |
| But Costa Rica has definite seasons, though not | | | | most people who live in America think of climate |
| the typical seasons that most people envision | | | | changes as you travel North-South, in Costa Rican |
| when you mention seasons. Costa Rican seasons | | | | climate, the changes occur as you climb in altitude. |
| are dry and wet. The locals call these seasons | | | | A few thousand foot climb in altitude can result in |
| 'Verano' (summer) or dry season and 'Invierno' | | | | moving from a humid, tropical climate to a |
| (winter) or wet season. Verano occurs from | | | | temperate, moderate climate. Places like the |
| December to April and the Invierno occurs from | | | | Nicoya peninsula offer both choices within a |
| May to November. The terms take some getting | | | | relatively short distance-as the crow flies. (Or in |
| used to for visitors to whom summer is hot and | | | | Costa Rica- as the toucan flies) |
| winter is cold, and both are buffered by | | | | Costs Rica is surrounded by oceans and bisected |
| transitional temperature changes called spring and | | | | by a mountain range, both of which greatly affect |
| autumn. For most people summer is June-August, | | | | the weather patterns within the small geographical |
| in Costa Rica it is December-April, while winter is | | | | region. The trade winds which blow in off of the |
| typically thought of as December-February, in | | | | Pacific Ocean bring lots of moisture to the |
| Costa Rica winter is May-November. The coolest | | | | country. As this moist air rises to clear the |
| temperatures of the year can fall during | | | | mountains it cools, which causes torrential rains to |
| Verano-the Costa Rican 'summer'. The Costa | | | | fall on the Pacific slope of the mountains. The |
| Rican terms do not fit into this conventional | | | | Caribbean slope encounters the same |
| terminology for the new Costa Rican resident, | | | | phenomenon and can see days of continuous rain |
| and it is easier to adopt the local terminology of | | | | during the rainy season. In between these slopes |
| Verano and Invierno. | | | | is the Central Valley region, where most of the |
| The differences in these two seasons can be | | | | population lives and enjoy a moderate climate, |
| extreme, though the temperature doesn't change | | | | with less extreme seasonal changes. |
| all that much. The average annual temperature | | | | |