Costa Rica weather in August

In August, Costa Rica sees average daytime highs of 33°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 168 mm of rain across 19.1 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in August, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 12 min at the start of August to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Costa Rica's 12th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Costa Rica's year-round climate.

Daytime high
33°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
26°
11th coldest
Rainfall
168 mm
19.1 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:48 AM – 6:40 PM
Cloud cover
72%
12th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
5.4 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.6
out of 10

Costa Rica is town in Culiacán Municipality, State of Sinaloa, Mexico.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month.

A typical August day in Costa Rica reaches about 33°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 31°C and 35°C. Set against its neighbours, August runs on par with July and on par with September.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13326
23326
33326
43327
53327
63326
73326
83326
93326
103326
113326
123326
133326
143326
153326
163326
173326
183326
193326
203326
213326
223326
233326
243326
253326
263326
273326
283326
293326
303326
313326

How August really feels in Costa Rica

Once humidity and wind are folded in, August averages 31 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
31 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in August is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Costa Rica weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 2nd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 14°131.710.68.4
Feb26° / 15°141.611.18.3
Mar27° / 16°30.511.88.2
Apr29° / 18°10.212.66.9
May31° / 21°10.213.25.7
Jun33° / 25°14213.54.5
Jul34° / 26°10813.713.42.9
Aug33° / 26°16819.112.92.6
Sep33° / 26°17518.412.22.9
Oct32° / 24°434.711.44.6
Nov30° / 19°382.210.86.6
Dec26° / 15°141.710.58.2

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in August, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 73%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12674
22674
32674
42674
52674
62575
72674
82674
92674
102674
112674
122674
132674
142674
152773
162773
172773
182773
192773
202773
212872
222773
232773
242773
252773
262773
272674
282674
292773
302773
312773

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Costa Rica gets around 168 mm of rain over 19.1 wet days in August. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 62% and peaks near 72% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
154
254
355
455
555
655
756
856
957
1058
1158
1259
1360
1461
1561
1662
1763
1864
1965
2065
2166
2267
2367
2468
2569
2669
2770
2871
2971
3071
3172

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of August feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, August lands in the miserable band about 100% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
10100
20100
30100
40100
50100
60100
70100
80100
90100
100100
110100
120100
130100
140100
150100
160100
170100
180100
190100
200100
210100
220100
230100
240100
250100
260100
270100
280100
290100
30199
31199

Wind in August

Winds average 7 km/h in August.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 12 min at the start of August to 12 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 42 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 5:41 AM to 5:54 AM, and sunset from 6:50 PM to 6:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.25:416:50
213.15:416:50
313.15:426:49
413.15:426:48
513.15:436:48
613.15:436:47
713.05:446:46
813.05:446:46
913.05:456:45
1013.05:456:44
1113.05:466:44
1212.95:466:43
1312.95:466:42
1412.95:476:41
1512.95:476:40
1612.95:486:40
1712.85:486:39
1812.85:496:38
1912.85:496:37
2012.85:496:36
2112.85:506:35
2212.75:506:34
2312.75:516:33
2412.75:516:32
2512.75:516:31
2612.65:526:30
2712.65:526:29
2812.65:536:28
2912.65:536:27
3012.65:536:26
3112.55:546:25

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 5.4 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.14 kWh/m² to a high of 7.81 kWh/m² in May across the year — August's 5.4 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.7Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.4Bright
155.4Bright
165.4Bright
175.4Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in August

Hazard calendar for Costa Rica

In seasonPeak

In August, Costa Rica sits inside its pacific hurricane and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Costa Rica sits in the eastern Pacific hurricane zone; the season peaks August–September.

Costa Rica's rainy season runs July–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Pacific hurricane
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is August a good time to visit Costa Rica?

Our two travel scores rate August for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

2.6
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.7
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

August is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Costa Rica.

What to pack for Costa Rica in August

From August's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In August, Costa Rica sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 19 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Costa Rica in August

The nearest coast averages about 30°C in August — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 34 km away) is warmest in August at about 30°C and coldest in February near 21°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan21Refreshing
Feb21Refreshing
Mar21Refreshing
Apr22Refreshing
May25Warm
Jun28Warm
Jul29Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov26Warm
Dec23Refreshing

UV index in Costa Rica in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August 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 Costa Rica peaks around May 11 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 5 (high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighMay 11UV 12Dec 22UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan5High
Feb8Very high
Mar10Very high
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep10Extreme
Oct8Very high
Nov6High
Dec5High

Air quality in Costa Rica in August

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where August falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Costa Rica is worst in May — around 43 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.9× the cleanest month (January, 11 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodMay 1740 µg/m³Jan 111 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb11Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr18Moderate
May43Poor
Jun23Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug12Good
Sep13Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Costa Rica?

Costa Rica sits at 24.6°N, 107.4°W, 30 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Licenciado Benito Juárez, 17 km away.

Mazatlan

Topography around Costa Rica

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Costa Rica.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Costa Rica has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 21 m around an average of 25 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 401 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,932 m.

The land around Costa Rica is covered by cropland (64%) within 3 km, cropland (62%) within 16 km, and trees (39%), water (27%) and cropland (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
21 m
16 km
401 m
80 km
1,932 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
August weather nearby: Licenciado Benito Juárez 17 km · Culiacán 24 km · Navolato 37 km · La Cruz 90 km · Guamúchil 119 km · Guasave 154 km · Gabriel Leyva Solano 173 km · Mazatlan 181 km

Mexico travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 / 127 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 54% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$13,889
2025
Happiness
7.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
43%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
24.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 440
Religion
Catholic 78%no religion 11%other Evangelical Churches 8%Jehovah Witness 1%

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 Costa Rica (24.5907°, -107.3899°, elevation 30 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).