Costa Rica in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Costa Rica sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 40 mm of rain over about 5 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 56% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels comfortable.
Winter is Costa Rica's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Costa Rica's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 15°C
- Rainfall
- 40 mm
- 5 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.3
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Costa Rica in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.
A typical winter day in Costa Rica reaches about 26°C and drops to 15°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Costa Rica
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Costa Rica 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° / 14° | 13 | 1.7 | 10.6 | 8.4 |
| Feb | 26° / 15° | 14 | 1.6 | 11.1 | 8.3 |
| Mar | 27° / 16° | 3 | 0.5 | 11.8 | 8.2 |
| Apr | 29° / 18° | 1 | 0.2 | 12.6 | 6.9 |
| May | 31° / 21° | 1 | 0.2 | 13.2 | 5.7 |
| Jun | 33° / 25° | 14 | 2 | 13.5 | 4.5 |
| Jul | 34° / 26° | 108 | 13.7 | 13.4 | 2.9 |
| Aug | 33° / 26° | 168 | 19.1 | 12.9 | 2.6 |
| Sep | 33° / 26° | 175 | 18.4 | 12.2 | 2.9 |
| Oct | 32° / 24° | 43 | 4.7 | 11.4 | 4.6 |
| Nov | 30° / 19° | 38 | 2.2 | 10.8 | 6.6 |
| Dec | 26° / 15° | 14 | 1.7 | 10.5 | 8.2 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Costa Rica gets around 40 mm of rain over 5 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 8 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 36 min in early December to 11 h 24 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 4.6 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Costa Rica
None of Costa Rica's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
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.
Is winter a good time to visit Costa Rica?
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 one of the better times to visit Costa Rica for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Costa Rica in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Costa Rica sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 15°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 5 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Costa Rica in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 22°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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 25 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 26 | 23 |
| Comfort | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21 | Refreshing |
| Feb | 21 | Refreshing |
| Mar | 21 | Refreshing |
| Apr | 22 | Refreshing |
| May | 25 | Warm |
| Jun | 28 | Warm |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 30 | Tropical |
| Sep | 30 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 26 | Warm |
| Dec | 23 | Refreshing |
UV index in Costa Rica in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 5 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Level | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | High |
| Feb | 8 | Very high |
| Mar | 10 | Very high |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 10 | Extreme |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 6 | High |
| Dec | 5 | High |
Air quality in Costa Rica 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 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 11 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 43 | 23 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 |
| Level | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 11 | Good |
| Mar | 13 | Moderate |
| Apr | 18 | Moderate |
| May | 43 | Poor |
| Jun | 23 | Moderate |
| Jul | 17 | Moderate |
| Aug | 12 | Good |
| Sep | 13 | Moderate |
| Oct | 13 | Moderate |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 11 | Good |
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.
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.
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
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.