Danilo Hernandez, Professor Research. Organic Farm Costa Rica.jdhernan27 @ yahoo.es
In Costa Rica there is a diversity of climates result of the action of prevailing winds and the smallness of the territory, also has a mountain chain that crosses the country from northwest to southeast with elevations up to 3820 meters over sea level (Cerro Chirripo).
In our region, being tropical, the temperature difference is generally not very sharp but between the coast and the highlands of the mountain, you see more variation. With the amount of rainfall, this difference is more pronounced, both in altitude as at sea level. For this reason and in order to further characterize the climate in our country, are designated six regions: Central Valley, North Pacific, Central Pacific, South Pacific, Caribbean slope and North Zone.
The Central Valley region includes part of the provinces of San José, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago.
Precipitation. The recorded rainfall varies with the area, being at about 1967 millimeters per year. In mountainous ranges of 2500 to 3500 mm at both the beginning and end of the year it rains more than the valley. It reports an average temperature remains between 22 and 24 degrees Celsius and has no major changes throughout the year, while the average maximum do not exceed 30 º C and average minimum temperature hover around 18 º C.
North Pacific Climate
This region includes the Guanacaste province, west of the province of Alajuela, north of Puntarenas. The average temperature around 28 º C with maximum of 36 º C and minimum 23 º C
The rainy season is placed from May to November, appearing in July rainfall decreased product of “San Juan Summer” that occurs at this time. The dry season covers the months from December to March
Rainfall is more abundant in the upper part compared to the lower, setting an average of about 1400mm (liters of rain per square meter) in the plains and 2500 mm in mountainous regions.
The relative humidity ranges from 60 to 65% in the dry season and the rainy season between 80 and 85%, June, September and October are the wettest, while the minimum occur in the month of March.
Central Pacific climate
It comprises part of the Puntarenas province south of San Jose The average annual temperature varies from 27 º C on the coasts, up to 20 º C on the summits of the mountains, warmer months can be placed between March and May.
Minimum temperatures in the lower parts are not descended from the 25 º C.
Rainfall varies between 3 000 and 4500 mm per year, the dry season in the coastal zone extends from January to March while the rainy season from April to December. Here there is also a decline in rainfall between July and August is typical of “San Juan Summer”, the driest month is February and the wettest is October.
South Pacific climate
This region includes the southern part of the province of Puntarenas and the General Valley, which lies west of the province of San Jose.
Average annual temperatures are between 25 º C and 30 º C in places near the coast, while in the higher parts of the mountains of Talamanca are recorded up to 10 º C.
The topography of the region was very influential in making the annual precipitation varied. On the coast ranges from 3 000 to 4 000 mm. In the Valley of the General gives the minimum of precipitation in the region, 2 200 mm annually, and in the Osa Peninsula the most with more than 5 000 per year.
The coastal zone shows decrease in rainfall during July and August (late summer), while on the Osa Peninsula and the Valle del General if perceptible.
In the South Pacific region there are two well defined seasons, the dry season being slightly shorter than that observed in the North Pacific, it begins in late December and ends around April. The wettest month is October, usually the driest is February, but here there is completely dry as the North Pacific.
Humidity
As for the relative humidity in this region the oscillation is very small, during the driest month (February), average remains 81% and in October, a month of more rain, we found averages of 91%.
Caribbean climate
Throughout the year this region are quite rainy, why cannot speak of a well defined dry season.
In the province of Limon amounts recorded from 3000 millimeters of rain in coastal regions up to 4 500 in the mountain area. In the coastal zone can define two relatively dry periods, one that goes from February to March and another, the months of September and October. The wettest months in both coastal and mountainous region are July and December;
The entire Caribbean region is the wettest of our country, due to the steady inflow of moisture transported by wind from the Caribbean Sea. Like the rest of the country the relative humidity has little annual variation in Limon province, during April and March averages reach levels of 84%, the rest of the year remains between 86% and 88%.
Temperature
The average temperature in this region, varies throughout the year between 25 º C and 27 ° C throughout the coast, the minimum temperatures occur during the months of December through February with values near 20 ° C, while thermometers maximum range up to 31 ° C in the warmer months.
Climate in the Northern Zone
It is considered under a type Caribe. A rainfall throughout the year, this region is quite rainy, why cannot speak of a well defined dry season.
Agricultural production of Costa Rica
Costa Rica is characterized by a wide variety of microclimates, which together with its rich soils and water availability, agricultural production has diversified throughout its territory. The same is reflected in the variety of agriculture products for each one of these regions. Thus we have the following pattern:
Central Valley
Starting at the beginning in this area of Cartago located at altitudes above 1500 m above sea level, underlines the horticulture crops like carrot Daucus carota,, celery Allium sativum, parsley Petroselinum sativum, lettuce Lactuca sativa, beet Beta vulgaris, spinach Spinacia oleracea, cabbage Brassica oleracea var. capilata,cauliflower Brassica oleracea var botritys, Broccoli Brassica oleracea var italic, onion Allium cepa, and producing dairy cattle. All these on the slopes of Volcan Irazu.
In the central area of San Jose stands out mainly coffee production in their upper parts and dairy cattle.
In Heredia there are coffee production in areas around the central of the province, and parts adjacent to the mountains close to Barva volcano. There is also a large production of horticultural crops such as tomato Lycopersicum sculentum,peper capsicum sp, green beans Phaseolus vulgaris, cucumber Cucumis sativus, aromatic spices, fruits Asparagus Asparagus officianalis, fruits from hight lands (avocado, citrus, strawberries Fragaria vesca) and dairy cattle farms , goats, pigs and poultry laying and fattening. In the lower area of the adjoining province Alajuela there is production of Allium cepa onion, sweet potato Ipomoea batata, poultry broiler and position among others.
In the central area of the province of Alajuela is produced in greater proportion coffee, onion, sweet potato, citrus, sugar cane Saccharum oficianarum and in the high altitude fruit (avocado, strawberry, durasno Prumus persica), dairy cattle, pigs .
North Pacific
In the dry Pacific region there is a greater tendency to produce cattle for meat, rice Orysa sativa, Sacccharum oficianarum sugarcane, maiz Zea maiz fruits (melon Cucumis melo, watermelon Citrullus vulgaris, Carica papaya papaya avocado Persea americana Mill, citrus) , Manguifera indica mango, marañon Anacardium occidentale. Guava Psidium guava, P
Central pacific
This region produce sugar cane, melon, watermelon, mango, papaya, livestock farm, and on the most south region there is oil palm plantation.
South Pacific
Southern pacific (Perez Zeledon to Panama border), there is coffee production (Perez Zeledon and Coto Brus), banana, pineapple, oil palm, citrus, beef and poultry
Northern Zone (San Carlos, Upala, Guatuzo, Los Chiles and Sarapiqui, produce: dairy cattle and fattening, bananas, pineapple, papaya, poultry broiler and laying hens, roots and tubers (tiquizque Xanthosomas sagitifolium, nampi Colocasia sculenta, Diascorea alata ñame ), peach palm Bactris spp
Caribbean or Atlantic Area (Limon), produces bananas Musa spp, broilers, cocoa, banana Musa spp pineapple, peach palm. Roots and tubers.
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