Weather Warning

Showers with thunderstorms this afternoon over Costa Rica

August 15, 2024

4:30 p.m.

Diagnosis: The Intertropical Convergence Zone over the country and local factors have favored the presence of scattered rains and showers accompanied by thunderstorms. The most important amounts have occurred in a localized manner in: the mountains of the Northern Zone with 95 mm (Juan Castro Blanco National Park), 40 mm in Sarapiquí, Ciudad Quesada and Upala. For the Central Valley, between the towns of Santa Bárbara and the Juan Santamaría Airport, between 65 mm and 50 mm are recorded, with the rest of the region with records below 25 mm. As for the Pacific slope, it maintains accumulations between 5 mm and 30 mm.

Forecast: During the rest of the afternoon, scattered showers will continue in the center and west of the Northern Zone and parts of the North Pacific with maximum estimated accumulations between 20 mm and 70 mm. For the Central Valley, variable rainfall is expected to decrease in the next three hours with accumulations between 10 - 50 mm.

In the early hours of the night, localized showers are expected in the lower parts of the Central and South Pacific. Accumulations would be between 15 - 50 mm.

Warning: Soil saturation has only been persistent in the upper parts of the Northern Zone, so caution is called for, especially where these rains are currently occurring.

Due to the above, the IMN recommends:

• Caution due to sewer saturation in places prone to this type of flooding.

• Prevention in the event of an electrical storm and seeking shelter in a safe place in the event of strong gusts of wind occurring or perceived near the storm clouds, due to the possible fall of tree branches, power lines, among others. These gusts can reach 80 km/h in some isolated cases.

• Stay informed through social media, Twitter: @IMNCR, Facebook: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional CR and the WEB Page www.imn.ac.cr

Jose Valverde Mora

Meteorologist

DMSA-IMN