Because Costa Rica is located only about eight degrees north of the equator, the climate is tropical year round. However, this varies depending on elevation and rainfall. Therefore, it is greatly affected by the geography of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica's seasons are defined by how much it rains during a particular period. The year can be easily split into two periods, known to the residents as Verano, summer and Invierno, winter. The verano season is from December to May, and is the time of year when it is not as wet. Invierno is the period from May to November, and during this time, in many locations, it rains constantly.
The location that receives the most rain is the middle (northeast) slopes of the Central Cordillera mountains, with an annual rainfall of over 5,000 mm (196.9 in). Humidity is also higher on the Caribbean side than on the Pacific side. The mean annual temperature on the coastal lowlands is around 27 °C (81 °F), 21 °C (70 °F) in the main populated areas of the Central Cordilera, and below 10 °C (50 °F) on the summits of the highest mountains.
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