Costa Rica records extreme rainfall and drought contrasts in August

Costa Rica experienced extreme weather contrasts during August, according to data from the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN). The month was marked by record-breaking dryness in some regions and unprecedented rainfall in others.

In Liberia, the country recorded only 26.2 mm of rain, marking its driest August since 1956. In contrast, the Canta Gallo station in the North Caribbean recorded 1,781 mm, the highest accumulation in its 30-year history.

Other Caribbean stations also saw historic levels. Limón recorded 1,031 mm, making it the wettest August in 27 years, while Manzanillo in the South Caribbean accumulated 769 mm, doubling its previous record for the month. Meteorologists attributed the heavy rainfall in the Caribbean to the position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the passage of tropical waves.