Green season (wettest on the Pacific)
Costa Rica weather in September
Depends where you go. September is among the wettest months on the Pacific but one of the driest on the Caribbean. If you want a quiet, cheap Caribbean trip, it's the move.
By Aaron Bailey
Daytime highs
55–88°F
13–31°C depending on altitude
Driest
Puerto Viejo
5.9 in (150 mm) of rain
Wettest
Uvita
19.3 in (490 mm) of rain
What September is like
September is the start of the hardest stretch of weather on the Pacific. Rain gets heavier and lasts longer, roads in Osa and the Nicoya Peninsula get rough, and some hotels and restaurants in places like Santa Teresa close for the season.
Flip to the Caribbean and it's a different country. Puerto Viejo and Cahuita get some of their driest, sunniest weather of the year, and the sea is often calm enough for snorkeling. The Central Valley is wet but very manageable.
In September, average daytime highs in Costa Rica range from 55°F (13°C) at Irazú Volcano National Park to 88°F (31°C) at Puerto Viejo. Rainfall ranges from about 5.9 in (150 mm) at Puerto Viejo to 19.3 in (490 mm) at Uvita.
Crowds and prices
The quietest, cheapest month of the year for most of the country.
Happening in September
- Independence Day is September 15, with lantern parades on the evening of the 14th.
- Whale season continues in Uvita, and the Festival de Ballenas y Delfines usually happens there in September.
- One of the best months of the year on the Caribbean coast.
Towns and airports in September
Long-term monthly averages, driest first.
| Destination | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Viejo | 88°F / 31°C | 73°F / 23°C | 5.9 in / 150 mm |
| La Fortuna | 84°F / 29°C | 69°F / 21°C | 9.4 in / 239 mm |
| Monteverde | 72°F / 22°C | 61°F / 16°C | 9.4 in / 239 mm |
| Tamarindo | 88°F / 31°C | 74°F / 23°C | 10.6 in / 269 mm |
| Samara | 87°F / 31°C | 73°F / 23°C | 11 in / 279 mm |
| Guanacaste Airport (LIR) | 88°F / 31°C | 73°F / 23°C | 11.4 in / 290 mm |
| Nosara | 88°F / 31°C | 73°F / 23°C | 11.4 in / 290 mm |
| San José | 77°F / 25°C | 62°F / 17°C | 12 in / 305 mm |
| San José Airport (SJO) | 79°F / 26°C | 64°F / 18°C | 12.2 in / 310 mm |
| Santa Teresa | 87°F / 31°C | 73°F / 23°C | 13 in / 330 mm |
| Jaco | 87°F / 31°C | 73°F / 23°C | 16.5 in / 419 mm |
| Manuel Antonio | 87°F / 31°C | 73°F / 23°C | 18.5 in / 470 mm |
| Dominical | 84°F / 29°C | 72°F / 22°C | 18.5 in / 470 mm |
| Uvita | 87°F / 31°C | 73°F / 23°C | 19.3 in / 490 mm |
National parks in September
Long-term monthly averages, driest first.
| Destination | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cahuita National Park | 86°F / 30°C | 75°F / 24°C | 6.4 in / 163 mm |
| Arenal Volcano National Park | 84°F / 29°C | 69°F / 21°C | 9.4 in / 239 mm |
| Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve | 72°F / 22°C | 61°F / 16°C | 9.4 in / 239 mm |
| Tortuguero National Park | 86°F / 30°C | 74°F / 23°C | 11.9 in / 302 mm |
| Rincón de la Vieja National Park | 88°F / 31°C | 73°F / 23°C | 12.4 in / 315 mm |
| Irazú Volcano National Park | 55°F / 13°C | 43°F / 6°C | 13 in / 330 mm |
| Poás Volcano National Park | 62°F / 17°C | 48°F / 9°C | 13.8 in / 351 mm |
| Corcovado National Park | 84°F / 29°C | 72°F / 22°C | 17.5 in / 445 mm |
| Manuel Antonio National Park | 87°F / 31°C | 73°F / 23°C | 18.5 in / 470 mm |
| Marino Ballena National Park | 87°F / 31°C | 73°F / 23°C | 19.3 in / 490 mm |
Check your own itinerary
Add each stop on your trip and see the September weather, rainfall, and what to pack for each one.
Open the September weather plannerSeptember in Costa Rica: quick answers
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How hot is Costa Rica in September?
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