Two seasons – or four?

Some people say they miss the four seasons of a North American or European climate. But I don’t think that lasts long. When you realize that you only need light clothing and the occasional umbrella you can soon get used to the “good life.” And if you do hanker for a turn at the snow shovel by all means keep a sweat shirt, boots and one of those woolen caps with ear muffs in a suitcase in the attic and you can be in New York or Denver in three or four hours. Ten dollars will buy you a snow shovel and you can enjoy winter for a few days. But I think that will soon get old – don’t you?

In Costa Rica we sometimes say we have only two seasons, the Dry season and the Green Season. The green season is so called because that’s when most of the rain falls to make everything so lush and green. However the truth is there are many seasons, not just one with snow and ice and another burning hot as in other countries.What Costa Rica has is several times of the year when it rains more frequently, but it is always warm.
I remember when I lived in England we always tried to laugh at our unfortunate weather and we used to say that the Americans come in July because the rain is warmer then.

Many sub-climates

But in Costa Rica it really is warm throughout the year. HOWEVER, you must not assume that the weather forecast or statistics for San Jose reflect the norm in every part of the country. Each area has its own mini climate so you need to study where you are going to live if climate is important to you.

Believe it or not altitude has a lot to do with it too. I am told that the temperature goes down one degree for every one hundred meters in altitude and I must say that seems to be fairly accurate.