La Fortuna in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), La Fortuna sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 361 mm of rain over about 45 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the 3rd-wettest season.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels muggy.
Winter is La Fortuna's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. La Fortuna has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see La Fortuna's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 19°C
- Rainfall
- 361 mm
- 45 wet days
- Avg wind
- 12 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.0
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in La Fortuna in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.
A typical winter day in La Fortuna reaches about 26°C and drops to 19°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
La Fortuna weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26° / 19° | 110 | 15.3 | 11.5 | 6.1 |
| Feb | 26° / 19° | 54 | 8.1 | 11.7 | 7.1 |
| Mar | 28° / 20° | 32 | 6.6 | 11.9 | 7.0 |
| Apr | 29° / 21° | 52 | 10 | 12.2 | 5.5 |
| May | 28° / 21° | 255 | 24.6 | 12.5 | 3.7 |
| Jun | 28° / 21° | 304 | 28.8 | 12.6 | 3.3 |
| Jul | 27° / 21° | 260 | 28.1 | 12.6 | 3.6 |
| Aug | 28° / 21° | 243 | 28.5 | 12.3 | 3.5 |
| Sep | 28° / 21° | 288 | 29 | 12.1 | 3.3 |
| Oct | 27° / 21° | 319 | 29.7 | 11.8 | 3.4 |
| Nov | 26° / 20° | 291 | 26 | 11.5 | 3.9 |
| Dec | 26° / 20° | 197 | 21.9 | 11.4 | 4.9 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
La Fortuna gets around 361 mm of rain over 45 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 12 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min in early December to 11 h 48 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.7 kWh/m².
Is winter a good time to visit La Fortuna?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit La Fortuna for sightseeing.
What to pack for La Fortuna in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, La Fortuna sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 19°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 45 days see rain.
Sea temperature near La Fortuna in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 29°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 66 km away) is warmest in April at about 29°C and coldest in November near 28°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | Tropical |
| Feb | 29 | Tropical |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 28 | Tropical |
| Nov | 28 | Warm |
| Dec | 28 | Tropical |
UV index in La Fortuna in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in La Fortuna peaks around March 17 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 10 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 11 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Very high |
Air quality in La Fortuna in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in La Fortuna is worst in May — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (January, 10 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 10 | 11 | 13 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Level | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Good |
| Feb | 11 | Good |
| Mar | 13 | Moderate |
| Apr | 21 | Moderate |
| May | 23 | Moderate |
| Jun | 21 | Moderate |
| Jul | 22 | Moderate |
| Aug | 20 | Moderate |
| Sep | 18 | Moderate |
| Oct | 15 | Moderate |
| Nov | 12 | Good |
| Dec | 10 | Good |
Where is La Fortuna?
La Fortuna sits at 10.5°N, 84.6°W, 0 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Monteverde, 26 km away.
Topography around La Fortuna
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of La Fortuna.
Within 3 km, the terrain around La Fortuna has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 281 m around an average of 270 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,738 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,891 m.
The land around La Fortuna is covered by grassland (55%) and trees (42%) within 3 km, trees (63%) and grassland (35%) within 16 km, and trees (63%) and grassland (26%) within 80 km.
Costa Rica travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 120 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 59% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $19,970
- 2025
- Happiness
- 7.4 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 81%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 17.7
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 14.8
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- English
- Moderate
- EF EPI 516
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for La Fortuna (10.4709°, -84.6453°, elevation 0 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.