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A map of the the various climates around the world according to the Köeppen scale. The first letter identifies the major climate type. The first letter identifies the major climate type. The second letter identifies climate precipitation. Lastly, the third letter refers to the climates temperature. Costa Rica (located shortly above South America and 10-11〫above the equator) is classified first by an “A” (tropical humid), and then the climate is further specified on each side of the country. The area of Cedral (close to San Jose) holds the world record for the amount of rainy days at one site (359 days in 1968). In general, the Af climate type will receive the most rain throughout the year and is typical of the east side of Costa Rica.
One of the major wind patterns that affect Costa Rica are the north easterly trade winds. These winds are caused by heavy cold air coming from the northern hemisphere of the earth. As the winds get closer to the equator, they collect warm air and flow upward (northeast) from the Caribbean to the Pacific side. The warm air is caused by solar radiation hitting regions on the equator. These winds attempt to balance air pressure throughout the earth and follow a pattern determined by the Coriolis Effect. The Coriolis Effect is caused by the Earth’s rotation. As the Earth spins, the winds are deflected away from the equator and start to “curve”.
The above picture shows the north-easterly trade wind patterns that flow over Costa Rica, which help carry moisture in the form of mist to the Tilaran mountain range throughout the country. The video shows the Coriolis effect, which causes these winds to deflect from the equator based on earths rotation.
Due to the wind patterns, moisture in the form of mist become a “cloud forest” once reaching the mountains in central Costa Rica. This is one way that the country receives its vast amount of precipitation, along with other rain clouds that are transported by the wind patterns.
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A picture of a “cloud forest”, caused by the east-traderly winds. The moisture from the Caribbean waters is transported in a mist form, and settles as clouds as it moves to the central part of the country in the mountains rainforest region.
The climate in Costa Rica is identified by two major seasons: summer (dry) and winter (wet). On the Caribbean slope, the rainy season begins from April-December. The wettest months are from July-November. The rainy season on the Pacific slope is from May-November. During this time, the north-easterly trade winds are reduced in intensity. As a result, storms come in from the Pacific Ocean from September-October. In the northern part of the Pacific slope, sometimes no rainfall occurs for several months.
This map shows the average precipitation each year in Costa Rica. The eastern side of the country experiences more rainfall than West, making it more so of an Af tropical rainforest climate.
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