9781422286531

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A Tropical Land of Mountains, Beaches, and Forests

another, triggering earthquakes and sometimes volcanic eruptions. In addition, the flora and fauna of both North and South America meet in Costa Rica, adding even more eye-pleasing variety to the diversity of terrain and weather that makes Costa Rica special. Microclimates for Weather Although Costa Rica is located within the tropics, it has about a dozen tiny climatic zones, or microclimates . Thus, it is hard to speak broadly about temperature and rainfall in Costa Rica. In general, the coastal regions are hotter than the central valley. For instance, it is usually around 72° F (22º C) in the Central Valley, 82° F (28º C) on the Atlantic coast, and 89° F (31.5º C) on the Pacific coast. The differences depend mainly on elevation. The most extreme daily temperature changes occur during the dry season, when clear skies at night allow maximum heat loss. In the wet season, nights are gen- erally warmer, as clouds trap the heat from the day. Most regions have a dry season (December through April), and a rainy season, or Green Season, as it’s called locally (May through November). The Green Season brings daily afternoon rains to the country. Annual rainfall averages 100 inches (254 cm) nationwide, with some mountainous regions getting as much as 25 feet (8 m) on exposed eastern slopes! Abundant rain supplies water for agriculture, as well as feeding hundreds of rivers and dozens of spectacular waterfalls. A Backbone of Mountains Costa Rica has four distinct cordilleras , or mountain ranges—Guanacaste and