Eyes on Costa Rica and Weather Records - December and Year 2020

 During December, visits to this blog were received from the following 19 countries:

For all years, the total number of identified countries from which visits have been received remains at 130.

The following is a summary of the weather for the month and year in the area where we live:

As if a switch had been thrown, December 4 marked the beginning of the dry season. There was a hiccup with heavy rain on December 30 but otherwise sunny and partly cloudy skies prevailed. Temperature averages in December were pretty much like those in previous years.

For the year as a whole, rainfall was the real story. A brief summary for the entire year in the area where we live is as follows:

However, as the following graph illustrates, the amount and timing of rainfall in 2020 was significantly different from that in 2018 and 2019.

The patterns of rainfall in 2018 and 2019 were about the same - the monthly amounts following a distinct "M"-shaped curve each with a significant dip in the middle of the dry season. The dip is characteristic of a mini-summer or "verano" which typically occurs in the middle of the Costa Rican rainy season. In contrast, there was no such dip in 2020.

There were more rainy days in 2020 (185 days) than in 2018 (151 days) or 2019 (142 days) and the total amount of rainfall in 2020 (116.1 inches, 2949 mm) was greater than in 2018 (78.54 inches, 1995 mm) or 2019 (64.14 inches, 1629 mm). But this pales in comparison to the amount of rainfall encountered by friends who live in the southern zone of Costa Rica and who recorded over 320 inches (8218 mm) of rain in 2020.

Whether 2020 was an aberration or an indication of climate change events which are on the way remains to be seen.

(Click on any image to enlarge)