Hurricane Iota strengthens and is now a category 2 as it heads towards Central America, expected to make landfall by late Monday, confirmed the National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “Iota is expected to bring potentially catastrophic winds, life-threatening storm surge and extreme rainfall impacts to Central Ameri...

Bernard Leon La Duke, an American citizen, and his wife Seidy Sánchez Chaves were dug out of under a mountain of mud and rubble yesterday, in the community of Concepción de Agua Buena in Coto Brus, South Pacific region of Costa Rica. The heavy rain caused by ETA during this week in Costa Rica has caused floods, landslides, and road damages in different areas of the country. According to neig...

As a result of the heavy rains that have affected the country in the past few days floors are saturated and floods have been reported in different areas of the country, the National Emergency Commission (CNE) in Costa Rica declared a red alert for five counties: Nicoya, Nandayure and Hojancha in Guanacaste and Corredores and Coto Brus in the South Pacific region. Red Alert is issued when there...

Heavy rainfall this Tuesday caused problems for drivers in different areas of the country, particularly in the General Cañas highway which connects Alajuela and San José and some areas of Heredia. In the General Cañas highway close the Real Cariari Mall the sewer system collapsed and caused the highway to flood which damaged 7 vehicles and of course caused severe transit problems that extende...

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) in Costa Rica prepares for the effects of the hurricane season while also dealing with the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic. The president of the National Commission for Risk Prevention, Alexander Solis, announced that new guidelines were created for the administration of temporary shelters with the idea of protecting collaborators that handle emergencies ...

The heavy rainfall from this past Saturday caused a drain to collapse and destroyed the road in front of the Tambor Beach Hotel. The National Emergency Commission (CNE) reported the important damages on this road that communicates the city of Paquera with Cóbano in Puntarenas, this is just one of the over 40 events that required the attention of the CNE this weekend. The Ministry of Public W...

The effects of El Niño have already been felt in the past few months in Costa Rica, particularly in the Caribbean and North Zone of the country were these months usually present rainfall and the deficit of rain ranged between 60% to 75% in January making it the second driest January registered for the province of Limon. Initially it was expected that the phenomenon would increase rainfall in t...

The Government of Costa Rica and the National Emergency Commission had announced since the end of 2018 measures being taken to face the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENOS) phenomenon that would be causing droughts and floods to a large part of the national territory this 2019; this phenomenon could extend for another nine months and is already causing water rationing in some communities. The...

A high pressure system over the Caribbean ocean causes the acceleration of wind in the region. Due to the moderate intensity of this windy pattern, the National Emergency Committee (CNE) declared green alert for the Central Valley and the North Pacific. Strong wind gusts are expected in Guanacaste that could reach 80-100 km/h (50 – 62.2 mph) in the mountain range and 50-80 km/h (31-50 mph) in...

The Costa Rican Meteorological Institute (IMN) expects high temperatures in the Central Valley and Guanacaste. The weather conditions for this Monday, January 28 and the rest of the week will be similar to those experienced Sunday, with temperatures that could reach 86°F in different areas of the Central Valley. As the week progresses the wind will be stronger in particular during the evenin...

The Costa Rica National Meteorological Institute (IMN) warned of strong winds that will be present throughout the weekend and that could reach 120 /km/h (74.6 mph) on Monday, January 21. “The meteorological station in La Cruz, Guanacaste registers wind gusts of as much as 102 km/h (63.4 mph). According to the model of the European Center, next Monday, the gusts could be higher than 120 km/h in ...

Costa Rica offered to host the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 25) that is scheduled to take place December, 2019, after Brazil withdrew due to budget problems. The sites for the Conference of the Parties (COP) is usually defined three years in advance for the country to have enough time to organize the event; the 2019 event was supposed to be hosted by Brazil, however...

The Costa Rican Government presented its Inter-institutional Contingency Plan to mitigate the effects of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENOS) that will bring droughts and floods to a large part of the national territory at the end of this year. President Carlos Alvarado and the Minister of Presidency Rodolfo Piza signed a directive to create a Permanent Attention Committee formed by 12 insti...

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) in Costa Rica declared Green (preventive) Alert for the North Region, Caribbean, Central and South Pacific, as well as the counties of Lberia, la Cruz, Tilaran and Bagaces in Guanacaste and Sarapiqui in Heredia. This due to the report of the National Meteorology Institute that informs of the influence of the intertropical convergence zone “which maintain...

The bridge over the San Lorenzo River which connects San Ramon to San Carlos in the Alajuela province collapsed because of the heavy rains that have affected this area in the past day, the bridge is closed for indefinite time. This is a common route for those traveling to La Fortuna in San Carlos, the Ministry of Public Works (MOPT) will be evaluating the damages on this bridge and other parts ...

Cars, trucks and airplanes worldwide are the #1 cause of global warming and or climate change, not President Donald Trump and not withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord. Fixing these problems unfortunately is highly political in Washington and around the world. Big oil and OPEC are entrenched and they fight any progress into an electrically or solar powered world. It’s the harmful emissions fro...

30-year-old Josh Byrne and his wife Bianca traveled to Costa Rica earlier this week to celebrate their honeymoon after getting married last weekend on a farm in New Hampshire. As they were traveling over a bridge a flash flood dragged the car they were driving into the river. Bianca was able to make it out alive, but so far, there are no signs of Byrne. The couple was vacationing in the area of...

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) raised the alert in the Cental and South Pacific from green to yellow after 130 reports of floods in these areas caused by intense rainfall of tropical wave #40 that affected the country this Thursday, the red alert remains for the districts of Cobano, Paquera, Lepanto, El Roble, and the Center of Puntarenas that were considerably affected last week. The...

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) recommended prevention as two new tropical waves will be arriving to the country this week. According to the National Meteorology Institute, tropical wave number 40 will hit this Thursday while the effects of number 41 will be felt during the weekend, affecting mainly the Central and South Pacific as well as the Central Valley, this type of phenomenon is ...

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) declared red alert for the counties of Puntarenas, Nicoya, Santa Cruz, Nandayure and Hojancha, due to the high vulnerability of the of the land and the possibility of more rain over the next 12 hours. In total 1666 people have been transferred to 19 shelters, 106 communities maintain a high level of effects, floods, fallen trees, mud slides, among others....

The National Emergency Commission in Costa Rica elevated form green to Yellow the alert given for the North and Central Pacific due to the strong rainfall, green alert was declared for the North Zone, Central Valley and South Pacific. “During the first hours of this evening the Central Pacific has been affected, particularly the areas of Paquita, Parrita, Isla Damas , the Center of Puntarenas, ...

Heavy rains are expected in the Central Valley and the Pacific for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the National Emergency Commission declared Green Alert for these regions. The rains would be caused by low pressure system located at the southwest of the Caribbean Sea that has a 20% possibility of transforming into a tropical depression. “Analysis have determined the presence of a low-pressur...

The Costa Rican Emergency Commission (CNE) has begun its work of coordination to prepare for the impacts that El Niño phenomenon could bring to the country starting in November. CNE held meetings with representatives of different state institutions that have a part in the understanding of this phenomenon in areas such as water, agriculture, environment, tourism, among others. “The first meet...

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) declared yellow alert for the county of Limon and green alert for the rest of the territory except for the North Pacific, this since the country is under the influence of a low-pressure system and a new tropical wave. Tropical wave number 26 will bring strong rainfall and instability in most of the territory. The North and South Caribbean as well as Ca...

The National Meteorological Institute (IMN) informed this morning that tropical wave #22 will be entering the country this Wednesday, increasing the rainfall over some areas of the country. Throughout the morning and early hours of the afternoon rains of variable intensity with possible thunderstorm and isolated events of strong winds will be affecting the Caribbean and North Zone. While cloudy...

The National Meteorological Institute (IMN) warned of the formation of El Niño phenomenon which will could generate droughts in the Costa Rican Pacific and heavy rains in the Caribbean. “The centers of investigation have indicated that during August, September and October there will be w higher probability that the El Niño phenomenon affecting the area of the Equatorial Pacific. Between Novemb...

The Costa Rican Meteorological Institute (IMN) reported today the presence of Saharan Dust over the country, particularly visible over the mountain sector of the Central Valley. Saharan Dust is transported through the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea by trade winds and is being registered across Central America. “In large cumulus this dust ‘dehydrates’ the atmosphere, creating conditions lik...

The province of Limon has received already 71% more rain than the average amount for the month of July and according to the National Meteorological Institute more rain is to be expected during this weekend in the Caribbean with the tropical depression number 18. The heavy rainfall of the past weeks caused floods, landslides, fallen trees and overflown rivers; the National Emergency Commission r...

The National Meteorological Institute has informed about the possibility that Tropical Depression #17 will transit through the country as of the early hours of this Wednesday, July 18, which could intensify the rainfall in the Caribbean and North Zone. “It is important to consider that the floors are still saturated in the Caribbean, and for this reason precaution is recommended in the presence...

National Emergency Commission (CNE) in Costa Rica declared the red alert for the counties of Sarapiqui, Turrialba, Matina and Talamanca due to the saturation of the floors in these regions. The counties of Guatuso and San Carlos are now under yellow alert. President Carlos Alvarado will be joining the meeting of the Emergency Operations Center (COE) this Tuesday and will then be doing an ae...

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) in Costa Rica confirmed they provided attention to over 600 people in fourteen temporary shelters set up in three provinces, Limon, Heredia and Cartago. For the province of Limon a total of 6 shelters were set up, another 6 in Heredia and two in Cartago. Thousands of users also had interruptions of their electricity, telecommunications and water servic...

At 6am this Saturday morning The Costa Rican Red Cross informed  that one of their Ground Rescue and Search Units had been sent to Route 32 to offer assistance and help to people that were isolated on this road due to landslides. According to their first report, there are approximately 50 cars and some 120 people stranded, there are no reports of injuries at this time. The high pressure syst...

The heavy rains this Friday which have mainly affected the areas of Cartago and Limon forced the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) to activate its emergency protocols at the hydroelectric plans of Cachi, Angostura and Reventazon. “As part of the actions, the three hydroelectric plants are undergoing a process of controlled spill to regulate the level of the reservoirs. We do not have any ...

Photo Credit: Radio Turrialba Heavy rains have affected several areas of Costa Rica because of trade winds that has caused damages in several different communities and roads. This Friday evening the National Emergency Commission (CNE) had already close to 80 reports on incidents in different parts of the country by 10pm. Landslides and floods have affected the communities of Jimenez, Turrial...

Heavy rains have been affecting several communities in the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Costa Rica causing floods and damages to infrastructure. More rain is expected as of this Wednesday which has led the National Emergency Commission to emit a green alert for the Pacific coast and yellow alert for the area of La Cruz in Guanacaste and North Zone. “Atmospheric disturbances over the south of...

The hurricane season 2018 officially kicked off this Friday, June 1st, and this year the National Hurricane Center of the United States estimates a total of between 12 and 16 storms, out of which between 5 and 9 could become hurricanes. Only four are expected to reach high categories of 3, 4 or 5. This year we will not have the influence of El Niño in the initial months, but La Niña should not ...

The heavy and constant rains that have affected Costa Rica since last Friday have cause damage in different communities, floods, landslides, overflowing rivers and damaged infrastructure. Problems on Route 32 are not uncommon throughout the rainy season, and once again it remained closed for several hours as a result of multiple landslides. The road has since been cleared for transit once again...

According to a report by the National Meteorological Institute (IMN) issued today, May 25, the Intertropical Convergence Zone remains very active over Costa Rica, causing instability in the atmosphere. On the other hand, tropical storm Albert has formed 90 kilometers east of the Yucatan Peninsula, as informed by the National Hurricane Center. This storm is expected to move over the Gulf of Mex...

Between April 10 and April 18 Costa Rica will have higher levels of solar radiation due to the effects of the ‘zenith of the sun’. During these days the position of the sun causes the UV radiation to increase due to the rays impacting in a more perpendicular way. This phenomenon takes place every year in April and it has an impact in the entire territory; in the Central Valley the days of hi...

The dry season in Costa Rica seemed shorter this time around, the rain carried on well into December, the country just got through tropical storms and cold fronts and the rain is already appearing again. This week the area of Parrita in Quepos and some areas of San Jose were surprised with strong rain fall that caused even small floods in a few locations. The National Meteorological Institu...