Q COSTARICA — The so-called “summer” or “dry” season didn’t really show up this year, but the “rainy” season is just around the corner.
According to the experts, meteorologists from the national weather service, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional de Costa Rica (IMN), the following is a timeline of the 2026 rainy season:
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- South Pacific: between April 27 and May 2
- Central Valley: between April 29 and May 8
- Central Pacific: between May 2 and 10
- North Pacific: between May 6 and 13
- Northern part of Northern Zone: between May 11 and 13.
The southern part of the Northern Zone and the Caribbean are the only regions without estimated dates, as the rainy season generally occurs year-round.
Among the characteristics of this year’s rainfall is a decrease: from April to June, it will be between 15% and 20%; from July to August, between 10% and 20%; and from September to November, between 10% and 30%.
In addition, temperatures will rise between April and November: up to 1.5°C in the North Pacific and around 1°C in the rest of the country.
As for the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially runs from June 1 to November 30 each year, early forecasts released today, April 9, 2026, suggest between nine and twelve systems, below normal. Last year was notable for its intensity rather than volume. While it had a near-normal total of 13 named storms, it produced three Category 5 hurricanes, the second-most on record for a single season.