Sign In Register

Puerto Cortés, Costa Rica

Full City Profile

3,850 Population 18/sq mi density
72 ft Elevation 22 meters
80°F Avg Temperature 26°C
Puerto Cortés has a warm climate with an average annual temperature of 80°F (27°C). Winters average 79°F in January while summers reach 80°F in July. The area gets 139 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 131.8 inches. The area receives 0.0 inches of snow annually.

Temperature

79°F Jan (26°C) 80°F Jul (27°C)
Annual Average79.6°F
47% above US avg
January Average79°F (26°C)
July Average80°F (27°C)
Sunny Days139 days/yr

Geography

Elevation72 ft (22 m)
Area214.2 sq mi (554.8 km²)
Population Density18/sq mi
Coordinates8.9617°N, 83.5246°W
TimezoneAmerica/Costa_Rica

Precipitation & Snow

Annual Rainfall 131.8"
247% above US avg
Snowfall 0.0"
Wettest Month (Oct) 21.81"
Driest Month (Feb) 1.93"

Air Quality

Earthquake History

887 earthquakes (M2.5+) within 150 km since 1990. Strongest: M7.6. Most recent: M0.0 on Aug 22, 2025.

Apr 22, 1991 34 km S of Limón, Costa Rica M7.6 95 km
Aug 20, 1999 42 km S of Quepos, Costa Rica M6.9 70 km
Jul 31, 2002 14 km SE of Punta de Burica, Panama M6.5 140 km
Apr 28, 1990 8 km SSE of Ciudad Cortés, Costa Rica M6.4 9 km
Jun 16, 2002 55 km WSW of Ciudad Cortés, Costa Rica M6.4 55 km
Apr 24, 1991 16 km SE of La Suiza, Costa Rica M6.2 87 km
Jun 26, 2019 4 km SE of Aserrío de Gariché, Panama M6.2 101 km
May 4, 1991 16 km NE of Changuinola, Panama M6.2 138 km
Sep 4, 1996 13 km WSW of Quepos, Costa Rica M6.2 93 km
Feb 4, 2004 2 km S of Finca Blanco, Panama M6.1 98 km
Aug 7, 2002 20 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama M6.0 142 km
Dec 22, 1990 2 km NNE of Santiago, Costa Rica M6.0 132 km
Jun 1, 2010 12 km SSW of Quepos, Costa Rica M6.0 85 km
May 12, 2019 1 km W of Breñón, Panama M6.0 85 km
Feb 13, 2012 27 km S of Quepos, Costa Rica M5.9 70 km
May 20, 2010 25 km SW of Quepos, Costa Rica M5.9 91 km
Mar 11, 2009 15 km SW of Golfito, Costa Rica M5.9 63 km
Aug 28, 1996 15 km S of Parrita, Costa Rica M5.9 98 km
Jun 30, 2005 3 km W of Progreso, Panama M5.9 92 km
May 1, 2006 7 km NNW of Limones, Panama M5.9 113 km
Source: USGS (M2.5+, 1990–2025)

Hurricane History

1 hurricane (Cat 1+) within 500 km since 1980. Strongest: Category 3.

Year Name Category Closest
2016 Otto Category 3 227 km
Source: NOAA IBTrACS (Cat 1+, 1980–2026)

Tsunami History

9 tsunamis recorded within 500 km. Highest wave on record: 3.0 m (10 ft).

Year Location Cause Max Wave Deaths Distance
1991 LIMON, PANDORA Earthquake 3.0 m 90 95 km
1941 COSTA RICA-PANAMA Earthquake 0.2 m 6 46 km
1983 COSTA RICA Earthquake 0.1 m 6 57 km
1941 COSTA RICA-PANAMA Earthquake 0.1 m — 73 km
1962 COSTA RICA-PANAMA Earthquake 0.1 m — 136 km
2019 IRAZU VOLCANO Explosion — — 119 km
1924 COSTA RICA Earthquake — — 129 km
1854 COSTA RICA-PANAMA Eruption + Earthquake — — 77 km
1822 MATINA Earthquake — — 83 km
Source: NOAA/NCEI Historical Tsunami Database. Sorted by wave height.

Nearby Volcanoes

5 volcanoes within 200 km. Closest: Irazu (119 km).

Name Type Elevation Last Eruption Distance
Irazu Stratovolcano 3,432 m (11,260 ft) 1994 119 km
Turrialba Stratovolcano 3,340 m (10,958 ft) 2019 121 km
Barva Complex 2,906 m (9,534 ft) -6050 145 km
Poas Stratovolcano 2,708 m (8,885 ft) 2019 158 km
Platanar Stratovolcano(es) 2,267 m (7,438 ft) Unknown 175 km
Source: Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program (GVP). Sorted by distance.

Monthly Weather

Month Avg Temperature Precipitation Summary
January 79°F (26°C) 2.4 in
February 79°F (26°C) 1.9 in Driest
March 82°F (28°C) 3.0 in
April 82°F (28°C) 7.3 in Warmest
May 81°F (27°C) 14.5 in
June 80°F (26°C) 13.5 in
July 80°F (27°C) 14.2 in
August 79°F (26°C) 16.0 in
September 79°F (26°C) 17.6 in
October 78°F (26°C) 21.8 in Wettest
November 78°F (25°C) 14.5 in Coldest
December 78°F (26°C) 5.2 in

Puerto Cortés has a seasonal temperature swing of 4°F / from 78°F in November to 82°F in April. Total annual precipitation is 131.8 inches, with October being the wettest month (21.8") and February the driest (1.9").

View full weather details →