Although the dry season in Costa Rica has already begun, the country has been experiencing heavy rains caused by cold push #8. In December and January, it is uncommon to have heavy rains. However, this was the weather pattern last month and during the first days of 2025.
The impact of this natural phenomenon left 206 people in shelters in various parts of the country. According to the president of the National Emergency Commission (CNE), Alejandro Picado, the shelters are located in Sarapiquí, Tilarán de Guanacaste, and Pital de San Carlos.
The strong rains caused 108 flooding incidents, with Sarapiquí and Guatuso being the most affected cantons. According to the CNE, in Sarapiquí, 57 incidents were registered in communities such as Jerusalén, Aldea, San Luis, Chimurría, and Fátima, due to the overflowing of the La Tigra and Las Marías rivers.
In the district of Cureña, neighborhoods such as Remolinitos, El Bardudo, and Cureñita experienced flooding due to the overflow of the San Juan River. In Guatuso, 26 incidents were reported. San Rafael, El Carmen, San Juan, and Cote were the areas impacted by the flooding from the La Muerte and Frío rivers.
There were also floods in San Carlos, Pococí, Río Cuarto, Bagaces, Guácimo, Peñas Blancas, and San Ramón. Many of these areas had already been inundated by the heavy rains of this past November; therefore, the soils were extremely saturated. For the time being, the CNE confirmed that the green alert remains in effect for the entire country. Meanwhile, the National Meteorological Institute (IMN) stated that a decrease in rainfall is expected for the weekend, thanks to the arrival of a dry air mass.
“Starting this weekend, precipitation will decrease significantly, especially in the Caribbean and the Northern Zone,” the IMN emphasized. IMN experts also warned of an increase in wind speed, which could heighten the chance of rain in the Caribbean and the Northern Zone starting on Wednesday.
