If you’re heading into the mountains or to northern Guanacaste today, expect strong, gusty winds. Gusts could reach 85 km/h (53 mph) in those areas on Saturday, Oct. 31, according to the National Meteorological Institute (IMN). In the Central Valley and the North Pacific, gusts should run between 30 and 60 km/h (19 to 37 mph). That’s enough to rattle loose roofing, bring down branches and push high-sided vehicles around on exposed stretches of road.
The cause is rising atmospheric pressure over the northern Caribbean, which is driving the trade winds across Costa Rica harder than usual. The IMN expects moderate to strong winds to continue through the rest of the weekend, not just today. Rain is also in the forecast. Extra moisture is bringing showers to the Caribbean and the Northern Zone from early in the day, and that rain is expected to spread into the mountains of the Central Valley and areas to the east.
In the afternoon, the IMN expects isolated downpours in the mountains of the Central Pacific and scattered downpours with thunderstorms in the South Pacific. Along the South Pacific coast, the rain could last into the early evening, while the Central Valley may see occasional showers.
If you have a volcano hike, a canopy tour or a high-elevation park on your schedule, wind is the main thing to watch. Ridgelines and open travetake the strongest gusts, so check with your tour operator before you drive out, since wind can affect zip lines and hanging bridges.
On the road, give yourself extra time on mountain routes and across Guanacaste’s open lowlands, where crosswinds hit hardest. Watch for fallen branches and debris after strong gusts, and keep both hands on the wheel. At home, bring in or tie down anything loose on patios and balconies, from chairs to potted plants. Gusts this strong can damage roofs, snap tree limbs and bring down power lines, so outages are possible in the windiest areas.
In the South Pacific, get off the beach and out of the water at the first sound of thunder, because lightning often strikes ahead of the rain. The wind and showers also arrive as the Pacific coast wraps up its highest tides of the season, which run through today. Going out tonight for Halloween? A light jacket is a good idea in the Central Valley, where occasional showers and gusty winds could linger into the evening.
Conditions can change quickly when the trade winds pick up. Check the IMN’s latest update before heading out, and plan for a breezy, unsettled weekend across much of Costa Rica.
