Nicoya in Spring
In spring (March, April and May), Nicoya sees average daytime highs around 35°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 296 mm of rain over about 30 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 35°C in early March to 31°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels muggy.
Spring is Nicoya's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Nicoya's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 35°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 296 mm
- 30 wet days
- Avg wind
- 10 km/h
- Travel score
- 2.6
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Nicoya in Spring
Over the season highs ease from about 35°C in early March to 31°C by late May.
A typical spring day in Nicoya reaches about 35°C and drops to 24°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is April, the coolest March.
How spring really feels in Nicoya
Once humidity and wind are folded in, spring brings about 92 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in spring is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Nicoya weather by month
How the three spring months (March, April and May) 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 | 33° / 22° | 6 | 1.3 | 11.5 | 4.6 |
| Feb | 34° / 23° | 7 | 1.9 | 11.7 | 3.9 |
| Mar | 35° / 23° | 7 | 2 | 11.9 | 3.1 |
| Apr | 36° / 24° | 38 | 7 | 12.2 | 2.2 |
| May | 33° / 24° | 251 | 20.5 | 12.5 | 2.4 |
| Jun | 31° / 23° | 319 | 26.2 | 12.6 | 2.6 |
| Jul | 31° / 23° | 226 | 22.4 | 12.5 | 3.0 |
| Aug | 31° / 23° | 257 | 24.4 | 12.3 | 2.8 |
| Sep | 31° / 23° | 347 | 28.1 | 12.1 | 2.5 |
| Oct | 30° / 23° | 359 | 28 | 11.8 | 2.8 |
| Nov | 30° / 22° | 143 | 15.6 | 11.5 | 4.1 |
| Dec | 31° / 22° | 21 | 3.6 | 11.4 | 5.1 |
Cloud cover in Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Nicoya gets around 296 mm of rain over 30 wet days across spring. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Spring
Most of spring feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Spring
Winds average 10 km/h across spring.
Sunrise & sunset in Spring
Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min in early March to 12 h 30 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Spring
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across spring, about 6.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Nicoya
In spring, Nicoya overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Nicoya's monsoon runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is spring a good time to visit Nicoya?
Our two travel scores rate spring for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
spring is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Nicoya.
What to pack for Nicoya in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Nicoya sees daytime highs around 35°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 30 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Nicoya in Spring
The nearest coast averages about 29°C across spring — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 32 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 Nicoya in Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Nicoya peaks around March 16 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 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 9 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 9 | Very high |
Air quality in Nicoya in Spring
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where spring falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Nicoya is worst in July — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 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) | 7 | 9 | 11 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 9 | Good |
| Mar | 11 | Good |
| Apr | 19 | Moderate |
| May | 19 | Moderate |
| Jun | 16 | Moderate |
| Jul | 20 | Moderate |
| Aug | 16 | Moderate |
| Sep | 12 | Good |
| Oct | 9 | Good |
| Nov | 7 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Where is Nicoya?
Nicoya sits at 10.2°N, 85.5°W, 128 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Tamarindo, 46 km away.
Topography around Nicoya
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Nicoya.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Nicoya has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 375 m around an average of 171 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 924 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,977 m.
The land around Nicoya is covered by trees (64%) and grassland (26%) within 3 km, trees (74%) and grassland (25%) within 16 km, and trees (41%) and water (41%) 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 Nicoya (10.1504°, -85.4509°, elevation 128 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.