How Costa Rica Escapes Hurricane Season - Costarica Insiders

1. No Hurricane Zone: How Costa Rica Escapes Hurricane Season http://www.costaricainsiders.com/no-hurricane-zone-how-costa-rica-escapes-hurricane-season/

2. Every year, at the beginning of June, Central America and the Caribbean hear those two terrible words: hurricane season. Hurricane season officially runs June 1-November 15. And every year, this six-month season marks the weather lottery: will it or won’t it? The question is, do you really want to take that bet? Luckily, in Costa Rica you don’t have to. With all but a few mild exceptions, Costa Rica does not get hurricanes. But why not? After all, Costa Rica is tropical. We’re Caribbean-adjacent (and our eastern coast does border the Caribbean Sea). Our neighbors are Nicaragua and Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Haiti and the Bahamas. They all get hurricanes, so why doesn’t Costa Rica? http://www.costaricainsiders.com/no-hurricane-zone-how-costa-rica-escapes-hurricane-season/

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4. How to Build a Hurricane The science of how and why hurricanes (and tropical depressions, tropical storms, and other related tempests) bypass Costa Rica is surprisingly simple. Let’s start with how it all begins. Hurricanes form when three conditions are present: warm ocean water (80ºF or higher), wind (specifically, the Coriolis Effect or Coriolis Force), and warm air. And here’s the big but: ALL conditions must be present, together and all at once; without one, the whole hurricane equation simply falls apart. While there’s quite a bit of science behind the Coriolis Effect, the basics are this: the effect is a direct result of the Earth’s rotation influencing the turning of winds. As in, turning into a spiral to form a hurricane. http://www.costaricainsiders.com/no-hurricane-zone-how-costa-rica-escapes-hurricane-season/

5. It’s Just Science: Costa Rica’s No-Hurricane Zone And that’s the core of it: while Costa Rica is undeniably home to water and air warm enough to sustain a hurricane, we thankfully lack sufficient Coriolis Effect to get the whole shebang started. But, why is that? Again, we’re covering the basics and they are this: the Coriolis Effect isn’t strong at the equator, which means that winds at the equator can’t spin fast enough to form a hurricane. And without that, all the warm water and air in the world aren’t sufficient catalyst for a hurricane. And all this means that hurricanes are at their fiercest beginning 20-30 degrees from the equator; here, the Coriolis Effect is strong and winds spin ferociously, picking up speed and whipping warm air and water into a hurricane of frenzy. Conversely, hurricanes cannot form between the equator and 4º north or south, and they are very rare within 10º. And that brings us back to Costa Rica, which curves from 9.55ºN to 10.9º N – far outside a hurricane’s happy zone. http://www.costaricainsiders.com/no-hurricane-zone-how-costa-rica-escapes-hurricane-season/

6. Hold onto Your Hat: Hurricane Effects Felt in Costa Rica All of the above is the great news. Now, we’re going to rain on your parade. But just a bit! Because here’s the get-real deal: While hurricanes typically don’t hit Costa Rica, we can still feel their effects. Namely, in the pressure systems that form off our Caribbean Coast, sending wind and rain into the country’s interior. And, since hurricane season corresponds with Costa Rica’s rainy season, that can mean a lot of rain. On top of standard rainy-season rains. So, what does this all boil down to? Green landscapes and plenty of Mother Nature’s precious elixir – water! And to be honest, we’re glad for it. Extra rainfall means quenched earth and that fresh-rainfall scent, lusher gardens and juicier fruits. And when you live here, you’ll soon learn there are few things better than that. http://www.costaricainsiders.com/no-hurricane-zone-how-costa-rica-escapes-hurricane-season/