San José weather in January
In January, San José sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 171 mm of rain across 26.8 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.
Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of January to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is San José's 3rd-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see San José's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 26°
- 11th warmest
- Overnight low
- 22°
- 1st coldest
- Rainfall
- 171 mm
- 26.8 wet days
- Daylight
- 11 h 24 min
- 6:07 AM – 5:33 PM
- Cloud cover
- 46%
- 3rd clearest
- Wind
- 21 km/h
- 1st windiest
- Solar energy
- 4.55 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 4.5
- out of 10
San José is populated place in Upala district of Costa Rico.
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in January
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month.
A typical January day in San José reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
| Avg low (°C) | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 | 22 |
| 2 | 26 | 22 |
| 3 | 26 | 22 |
| 4 | 26 | 22 |
| 5 | 26 | 22 |
| 6 | 26 | 22 |
| 7 | 26 | 22 |
| 8 | 26 | 22 |
| 9 | 26 | 22 |
| 10 | 26 | 22 |
| 11 | 26 | 22 |
| 12 | 26 | 22 |
| 13 | 26 | 22 |
| 14 | 26 | 22 |
| 15 | 26 | 22 |
| 16 | 26 | 22 |
| 17 | 26 | 22 |
| 18 | 26 | 22 |
| 19 | 26 | 22 |
| 20 | 26 | 22 |
| 21 | 26 | 22 |
| 22 | 26 | 22 |
| 23 | 26 | 22 |
| 24 | 26 | 22 |
| 25 | 26 | 22 |
| 26 | 26 | 22 |
| 27 | 26 | 22 |
| 28 | 26 | 22 |
| 29 | 26 | 22 |
| 30 | 26 | 22 |
| 31 | 26 | 22 |
San José weather by month
How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 11th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26° / 22° | 171 | 26.8 | 11.4 | 4.5 |
| Feb | 27° / 22° | 113 | 22.1 | 11.6 | 4.8 |
| Mar | 28° / 23° | 80 | 19.8 | 11.9 | 5.3 |
| Apr | 28° / 23° | 63 | 18.1 | 12.2 | 4.8 |
| May | 28° / 24° | 223 | 26.7 | 12.5 | 3.7 |
| Jun | 27° / 24° | 281 | 29.4 | 12.6 | 3.3 |
| Jul | 27° / 23° | 308 | 30.6 | 12.6 | 3.4 |
| Aug | 27° / 23° | 259 | 30.5 | 12.4 | 3.4 |
| Sep | 27° / 23° | 260 | 29.3 | 12.1 | 3.4 |
| Oct | 27° / 23° | 299 | 29.3 | 11.8 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 26° / 23° | 262 | 26.2 | 11.5 | 4.0 |
| Dec | 26° / 22° | 214 | 27.3 | 11.4 | 4.2 |
Cloud cover in January
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time in January.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 28% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 24%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 71 | 71 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 73 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 79 | 79 | 81 | 81 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 83 | 83 |
| Cloudier (%) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 71 | 29 |
| 2 | 71 | 29 |
| 3 | 71 | 29 |
| 4 | 72 | 28 |
| 5 | 72 | 28 |
| 6 | 72 | 28 |
| 7 | 73 | 27 |
| 8 | 72 | 28 |
| 9 | 72 | 28 |
| 10 | 72 | 28 |
| 11 | 72 | 28 |
| 12 | 72 | 28 |
| 13 | 72 | 28 |
| 14 | 73 | 27 |
| 15 | 74 | 26 |
| 16 | 75 | 25 |
| 17 | 75 | 25 |
| 18 | 76 | 24 |
| 19 | 77 | 23 |
| 20 | 78 | 22 |
| 21 | 78 | 22 |
| 22 | 79 | 21 |
| 23 | 79 | 21 |
| 24 | 81 | 19 |
| 25 | 81 | 19 |
| 26 | 82 | 18 |
| 27 | 82 | 18 |
| 28 | 82 | 18 |
| 29 | 82 | 18 |
| 30 | 83 | 17 |
| 31 | 83 | 17 |
Chance of precipitation in January
San José gets around 171 mm of rain over 26.8 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 86% and peaks near 90% on the wettest days.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 90 | 90 | 90 | 89 | 89 | 88 | 88 | 87 | 87 | 87 | 86 | 86 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 84 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 90 |
| 2 | 90 |
| 3 | 90 |
| 4 | 89 |
| 5 | 89 |
| 6 | 88 |
| 7 | 88 |
| 8 | 87 |
| 9 | 87 |
| 10 | 87 |
| 11 | 86 |
| 12 | 86 |
| 13 | 85 |
| 14 | 85 |
| 15 | 85 |
| 16 | 85 |
| 17 | 85 |
| 18 | 85 |
| 19 | 85 |
| 20 | 85 |
| 21 | 85 |
| 22 | 85 |
| 23 | 85 |
| 24 | 85 |
| 25 | 84 |
| 26 | 84 |
| 27 | 84 |
| 28 | 84 |
| 29 | 84 |
| 30 | 84 |
| 31 | 84 |
Humidity in January
Most of January feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, January lands in the muggy band about 61% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 96% of them.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humid (%) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Muggy (%) | 41 | 42 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 49 | 51 | 53 | 55 | 56 | 58 | 60 | 62 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 67 | 68 | 68 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 71 | 72 |
| Oppressive (%) | 56 | 55 | 53 | 51 | 49 | 47 | 45 | 43 | 41 | 39 | 37 | 35 | 33 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
| Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 41 | 56 |
| 2 | 3 | 42 | 55 |
| 3 | 3 | 44 | 53 |
| 4 | 4 | 45 | 51 |
| 5 | 4 | 47 | 49 |
| 6 | 4 | 49 | 47 |
| 7 | 4 | 51 | 45 |
| 8 | 4 | 53 | 43 |
| 9 | 4 | 55 | 41 |
| 10 | 5 | 56 | 39 |
| 11 | 5 | 58 | 37 |
| 12 | 5 | 60 | 35 |
| 13 | 5 | 62 | 33 |
| 14 | 5 | 64 | 31 |
| 15 | 5 | 65 | 30 |
| 16 | 5 | 66 | 29 |
| 17 | 5 | 67 | 28 |
| 18 | 5 | 67 | 28 |
| 19 | 5 | 68 | 27 |
| 20 | 5 | 68 | 27 |
| 21 | 5 | 69 | 26 |
| 22 | 5 | 69 | 26 |
| 23 | 5 | 69 | 26 |
| 24 | 4 | 70 | 26 |
| 25 | 4 | 70 | 26 |
| 26 | 4 | 70 | 26 |
| 27 | 4 | 70 | 26 |
| 28 | 4 | 70 | 26 |
| 29 | 4 | 70 | 26 |
| 30 | 3 | 71 | 26 |
| 31 | 3 | 72 | 25 |
Wind in January
Winds average 21 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.
Across January, daily wind ranges from about 21 km/h on the calmest days to 21 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Feels | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | breezy |
| 2 | 21 | breezy |
| 3 | 21 | breezy |
| 4 | 21 | breezy |
| 5 | 21 | breezy |
| 6 | 21 | breezy |
| 7 | 21 | breezy |
| 8 | 21 | breezy |
| 9 | 21 | breezy |
| 10 | 21 | breezy |
| 11 | 21 | breezy |
| 12 | 21 | breezy |
| 13 | 21 | breezy |
| 14 | 21 | breezy |
| 15 | 21 | breezy |
| 16 | 21 | breezy |
| 17 | 21 | breezy |
| 18 | 21 | breezy |
| 19 | 21 | breezy |
| 20 | 21 | breezy |
| 21 | 21 | breezy |
| 22 | 21 | breezy |
| 23 | 21 | breezy |
| 24 | 21 | breezy |
| 25 | 21 | breezy |
| 26 | 21 | breezy |
| 27 | 21 | breezy |
| 28 | 21 | breezy |
| 29 | 21 | breezy |
| 30 | 21 | breezy |
| 31 | 21 | breezy |
Sunrise & sunset in January
Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of January to 11 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 6 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:03 AM to 6:08 AM, and sunset from 5:25 PM to 5:39 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:03 | 6:03 | 6:03 | 6:04 | 6:04 | 6:04 | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:06 | 6:06 | 6:06 | 6:06 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:25 | 5:25 | 5:26 | 5:26 | 5:27 | 5:27 | 5:28 | 5:28 | 5:29 | 5:29 | 5:30 | 5:30 | 5:31 | 5:32 | 5:32 | 5:33 | 5:33 | 5:34 | 5:34 | 5:34 | 5:35 | 5:35 | 5:36 | 5:36 | 5:37 | 5:37 | 5:38 | 5:38 | 5:39 | 5:39 | 5:39 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.4 | 6:03 | 5:25 |
| 2 | 11.4 | 6:03 | 5:25 |
| 3 | 11.4 | 6:03 | 5:26 |
| 4 | 11.4 | 6:04 | 5:26 |
| 5 | 11.4 | 6:04 | 5:27 |
| 6 | 11.4 | 6:04 | 5:27 |
| 7 | 11.4 | 6:05 | 5:28 |
| 8 | 11.4 | 6:05 | 5:28 |
| 9 | 11.4 | 6:05 | 5:29 |
| 10 | 11.4 | 6:06 | 5:29 |
| 11 | 11.4 | 6:06 | 5:30 |
| 12 | 11.4 | 6:06 | 5:30 |
| 13 | 11.4 | 6:06 | 5:31 |
| 14 | 11.4 | 6:07 | 5:32 |
| 15 | 11.4 | 6:07 | 5:32 |
| 16 | 11.4 | 6:07 | 5:33 |
| 17 | 11.4 | 6:07 | 5:33 |
| 18 | 11.4 | 6:08 | 5:34 |
| 19 | 11.4 | 6:08 | 5:34 |
| 20 | 11.4 | 6:08 | 5:34 |
| 21 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:35 |
| 22 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:35 |
| 23 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:36 |
| 24 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:36 |
| 25 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:37 |
| 26 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:37 |
| 27 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:38 |
| 28 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:38 |
| 29 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:39 |
| 30 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:39 |
| 31 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:39 |
Solar energy in January
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.55 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.98 kWh/m² to a high of 6.04 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 4.55 kWh/m² falls in the middle.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 2 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 3 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 4 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 5 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 6 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 7 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 8 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 9 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 10 | 4.4 | Bright |
| 11 | 4.5 | Bright |
| 12 | 4.5 | Bright |
| 13 | 4.5 | Bright |
| 14 | 4.5 | Bright |
| 15 | 4.5 | Bright |
| 16 | 4.6 | Bright |
| 17 | 4.6 | Bright |
| 18 | 4.6 | Bright |
| 19 | 4.6 | Bright |
| 20 | 4.6 | Bright |
| 21 | 4.7 | Bright |
| 22 | 4.7 | Bright |
| 23 | 4.7 | Bright |
| 24 | 4.7 | Bright |
| 25 | 4.8 | Bright |
| 26 | 4.8 | Bright |
| 27 | 4.8 | Bright |
| 28 | 4.8 | Bright |
| 29 | 4.8 | Bright |
| 30 | 4.9 | Bright |
| 31 | 4.9 | Bright |
Is January a good time to visit San José?
Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
January is a reasonable time to visit San José for sightseeing.
What to pack for San José in January
From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In January, San José sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 22°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes, sun protection and a windbreaker. About 27 days see rain.
Sea temperature near San José in January
The nearest coast averages about 27°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 65 km away) is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in February near 27°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) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| 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 | 27 | Warm |
UV index in San José in January
Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks 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 San José peaks around March 18 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 9 (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 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 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 | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 9 | Very high |
Air quality in San José in January
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in San José is worst in July — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.8× 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 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 23 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 8 | Good |
| Mar | 9 | Good |
| Apr | 19 | Moderate |
| May | 21 | Moderate |
| Jun | 19 | Moderate |
| Jul | 23 | Moderate |
| Aug | 18 | Moderate |
| Sep | 13 | Moderate |
| Oct | 9 | Good |
| Nov | 6 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Where is San José?
San José sits at 11.0°N, 85.1°W, 50 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is San Carlos, 44 km away.
Topography around San José
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of San José.
Within 3 km, the terrain around San José has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 55 m around an average of 51 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 659 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,977 m.
The land around San José is covered by grassland (51%) and trees (48%) within 3 km, trees (59%) and grassland (36%) within 16 km, and trees (45%), water (27%) and grassland (24%) 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 San José (10.9519°, -85.1357°, elevation 50 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).