QCOSTARICA – Today, Monday, April 12, rains accompanied by a thunderstorm are expected during the afternoon, no different than the rains pouring down over many parts of the country since last Thursday, reported by the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN) – the national weather service,
Still shy of weeks until the “rainy season” kicks in, the current rains is due to the Intertropical Convergence Zone will remain close to Costa Rica, which will favor humidity and atmospheric instability, according to the IMN.
“Partial cloudiness is expected in the morning, in addition to a hot environment in the national territory. In the afternoon, rains with a thunderstorm along the Pacific slope and mainly the western and southern parts of the Central Valley are expected,” said the IMN.
While for the Caribbean and the North Zone, light rains are expected from the early morning, which would cease in the course of the morning. However, the rains would return in the afternoon.
The rains surprised many in the Central Valley the last several days. More surprising is the number of lightning strikes, on Thursday last, 1,227 lightning strikes reported in one hour.
The IMN recommends caution against possible flooding due to saturation of sewers and overflowing streams, especially for low lying areas prone to flooding.
As well as the search for safe places against electrical storms and strong gusts of wind.
Werner Stolz, head of the IMN, previously indicated that the first months of rain (April and June) will be very heavy in the Central Valley and the Pacific slope.
“On May 20 the whole country is going to be in the rainy season,” said Stolz.
According to the IMN, in 2020 there was a 30% rainfall surplus in the Pacific; that is, it rained more than normal, while in the Caribbean there was a deficit.