QCOSTARICA – Good news from the national weather service, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), forecasting that the start of the rainy season will be delayed by a week in the Central Valley and the Central Pacific.
According to the IMN: “The beginning of the rainy season will be irregular, due to a rapid transition to the El Niño phenomenon, causing small delays in the beginning of the rainy season.”
Read more: How does climate change affect El Nino and La Nina cycles?
Originally it was forecast that the rainy season in the Central Valley and Central Pacific would come early, we would be already in it, however, according to the update, the start of the rains in those areas is expected between May 10 and 16; in the northern zone, in areas such as Guatuso, Los Chiles and Upala, it would be between May 13 and 19; and for the North Pacific (Guanacaste), the rainy season is expected to start between May 29 and June 4.
The Southern Pacific, as is the custom, the rainy season has already begun.
The IMN projects that the mid-season respites from the rains, the “Veranillo de San Juan” will occur between June 23 and 26 and that the “heatwave” period will occur between July 15 and August 15, however, it is also anticipated that they will be drier than normal.
The IMN weather forecast for this Friday, May 5 and possibly through the weekend:
“Stable weather and little rainfall are expected to prevail in the country. The windy pattern will persist with occasional gusts between moderate and strong in the Central Valley, North Pacific and the mountain ranges. Some occasional rains are possible in the early morning hours in sectors of the Caribbean, while very localized showers are not ruled out in the afternoon in mountainous areas of the Central and South Pacific.”
Why is our reporting on the start of the rainy season important?
In the days and weeks to the change from dry to rainy season, as people living in cold climates prepare for winter, it is important to prepare for the start of rains by clearing out gutters, areas where water can accumulate, drainage systems and as important clothing and footwear to meet the challenges of the downpours. Also, a good idea to have a number of umbrellas at hand, both at home, in the car(s) and at work.
