Costa Rica Guide

travel information and maps

  • Vacation Planning
  • Best Trips Ever>>
  • More Fun Than Humanly Possible
  • Costa Rica
    • Top Ten
    • Best Time to Visit Costa Rica
    • Things To Do in Costa Rica
    • Maps
    • Transportation
      • Rental Cars
        • Advantages of Driving
        • Disadvantages Driving
        • Code of the Road
        • Navigation & Drive Time
        • Rental Insurance Explained
        • Can’t Get There
      • Airports
        • Flights Worth Taking
        • LIR or SJO
        • Airfare Deals
        • Domestic Airlines
        • Domestic Air Tips
      • Taxis
      • Bus Schedule
    • Food
      • Typical Menu
      • Batidos & Refrescos
      • Gallo Pinto
      • Tamales
      • Ceviche
      • Ensalada Palmito
      • Sopa Negra
      • Vinagre Chilera
    • Weather
      • Seasons in Costa Rica
      • Current Storms in Costa Rica
    • Regions
  • Nature & Wildlife
    • National Parks
    • Wildlife Refuges
    • Ecozones
    • Best Places to See Wildlife in Costa Rica
  • Practical Info
    • Health & Safety
      • Health Tips
        • Altitude Sickness
        • Chikungunya
        • Natural Disasters
      • Crime
        • Cons & Rip-offs
        • Corruption
        • Violent Crime
    • Will My Phone Work?
    • Packing List
    • Passports & Docs
    • Money – How To?
    • How Much Does it Cost?
    • Travel Tips
  • Stories
    • Photos
    • Trek Across Costa Rica
    • Sendero de Oro
    • Quebrada Gata
    • Bicycle Touring
    • About Us
  • Move to Costa Rica
  • Free Travel Pack
no obligation custom trip plan & price quote

1-866-816-0197

· Copyright © 2025 ·

Reading Weather Charts

You may not have seen charts like this before, but they are very easy to read.

Monthly Rainfall by Region

The more of a month that is covered by the blue rainfall blob, the more it rains that month.

For example the red outlines highlight the month of August when it rains much less in Jacó (about 10″) than it does in Corcovado (over 20″). Both locations are relatively wet in August compared to December through April.

How to read the average monthly rainfall charts for Costa Rica regions

You can see at a glance that Corcovado has a longer wetter rainy season than Jacó.  It’s also easy to see that the driest time to travel to Corcovado or Jacó is January through April when Jacó gets essentially no rain and Corcovado only 5″ to 8″ per month (which is still quite a bit).

The dip in rainfall at Jacó (Corcovado doesn’t have it) during July and August is called veranillo (little summer) and occurs each year when the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) moves north past Costa Rica giving a little dry season in the middle of the rainy season in some places.

If you’re interested in the details you can read all about how Costa Rica’s rainy season occurs or click here for the rainfall mouseover Weather Map showing charts for all of Costa Rica

Average, High and Low Temperatures by Region

The temperature charts show the average high and low temperatures for each month at locations around Costa Rica.

In this example the average high in Jacó Beach in December is 84 degrees Fahrenheit and the low is 72. The highs creep up a bit by April and drop off in September, October and November when the cooling clouds and rain are most common but overall it’s very consistently in the low eighties on average throughout the year.

How to read the average monthly temperature charts for Costa Rica regions

 

Click here for the sunshine and temperature mouseover weather Map showing charts for all of Costa Rica

 

Map showing average yearly rainfall by region in Costa Rica
Map showing average hours of sunshine per day by region in Costa Rica

Ray & Sue

Cost · ToDo · Plan·Costa Rica Guide logo animated·Top10 · Best Time · Contact


toll free Costa Rica travel desk!
1-866-816-0197

CONTACT US

Weather & Climate

Weather & Climate
  • La Nada, La Niña & El Niño in Costa Rica
  • Current Storms in Costa Rica
  • Costa Rica Live Weather Reports
  • Today’s Weather in Costa Rica
  • Here Comes the Rain Again
  • Riders on the Storm(s)
  • Here Comes the Dry Season
  • How Caribbean Storms Bring Pacific Flooding to Costa Rica
  • Seasons in Costa Rica
  • Costa Rica Weather
  • Costa Rica Rainy Season & Rainfall Map
  • Costa Rica Dry Season, Temperatures & Sunshine Map
  • Reading Weather Charts



Costa Rica Guide on facebook
Costa Rica Guide on Facebook