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Weather & Climate in Limón, Costa Rica
Temperature, precipitation, air quality, natural hazards, and monthly weather data.
Limón has a warm climate with an average annual temperature of 78°F (26°C). Winters average 77°F in January while summers reach 79°F in July / relatively mild seasonal variation. The area gets 115 sunny days per year, below the national average of 205. Annual precipitation totals 127.7 inches (wetter than the 38-inch national average). The city sits at an elevation of 95 feet.
Temperature
77°F Jan (25°C)
79°F Jul (26°C)
| Annual Average | 78.3°F |
| 45% above US avg | |
| January Average | 77°F (25°C) |
| July Average | 79°F (26°C) |
| Sunny Days | 115 days/yr |
Geography
| Elevation | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Area | 22.9 sq mi (59.2 km²) |
| Population Density | 2,761/sq mi |
| Coordinates | 9.9907°N, 83.0360°W |
| Timezone | America/Costa_Rica |
Precipitation & Snow
Air Quality
Earthquake History
414 earthquakes (M2.5+) recorded within 150 km since 1990. Strongest on record: M7.6.
| Apr 22, 1991 | 34 km S of Limón, Costa Rica | M7.6 | 34 km | 10 km |
| Mar 7, 1992 | 5 km SW of Río Segundo, Costa Rica | M6.6 | 143 km | 79 km |
| Apr 28, 1990 | 8 km SSE of Ciudad Cortés, Costa Rica | M6.4 | 133 km | 23 km |
| May 4, 1991 | 16 km NE of Changuinola, Panama | M6.2 | 84 km | 10 km |
| Apr 24, 1991 | 16 km SE of La Suiza, Costa Rica | M6.2 | 60 km | 13 km |
| Nov 9, 2001 | 33 km NE of Changuinola, Panama | M6.1 | 89 km | 10 km |
| Jan 8, 2009 | 10 km NNE of Sabanilla, Costa Rica | M6.1 | 129 km | 14 km |
| Dec 22, 1990 | 2 km NNE of Santiago, Costa Rica | M6.0 | 139 km | 17 km |
| Jun 1, 2010 | 12 km SSW of Quepos, Costa Rica | M6.0 | 148 km | 18 km |
| Feb 13, 2012 | 27 km S of Quepos, Costa Rica | M5.9 | 149 km | 16 km |
| May 13, 2011 | 7 km ESE of Atenas, Costa Rica | M5.9 | 140 km | 73 km |
| Oct 9, 2010 | 3 km SSW of Río Segundo, Costa Rica | M5.8 | 140 km | 91 km |
| Jul 10, 1993 | 3 km S of La Suiza, Costa Rica | M5.8 | 67 km | 20 km |
| May 27, 1991 | 2 km SW of La Mesa, Panama | M5.7 | 68 km | 10 km |
| May 27, 2013 | 8 km SSW of Guabito, Panama | M5.7 | 77 km | 9 km |
| Oct 31, 1994 | 14 km S of Buenos Aires, Costa Rica | M5.6 | 111 km | 56 km |
| Aug 10, 1999 | 23 km ESE of Quepos, Costa Rica | M5.6 | 125 km | 33 km |
| Mar 21, 2023 | 8 km SE of Quepos, Costa Rica | M5.5 | 137 km | 35 km |
| Jun 30, 1990 | 8 km W of Santiago, Costa Rica | M5.5 | 149 km | 8 km |
| Apr 22, 1991 | 12 km ESE of La Suiza, Costa Rica | M5.4 | 55 km | 10 km |
Source: USGS Earthquake Catalog (M2.5+, 1990–2025). Sorted by magnitude.
Hurricane History
5 hurricanes (Category 1+) recorded within 500 km since 1980. Strongest on record: Category 4.
| Year | Name | Category | Max Wind | Closest |
| 2022 | Julia | Category 1 | 86 mph | 269 km |
| 2016 | Otto | Category 3 | 115 mph | 112 km |
| 2009 | Ida | Category 1 | 75 mph | 292 km |
| 1996 | Cesar | Category 1 | 86 mph | 228 km |
| 1988 | Joan:miriam | Category 4 | 144 mph | 213 km |
Source: NOAA IBTrACS (Category 1+, 1980–2026).
Tsunami History
8 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 | 34 km |
| 1916 | BOCAS DEL TORO | Earthquake | 1.3 m | — | 122 km |
| 1941 | COSTA RICA-PANAMA | Earthquake | 0.2 m | 6 | 145 km |
| 1983 | COSTA RICA | Earthquake | 0.1 m | 6 | 146 km |
| 2019 | IRAZU VOLCANO | Explosion | — | — | 89 km |
| 1822 | MATINA | Earthquake | — | — | 55 km |
| 1798 | MATINA | Earthquake | — | — | 28 km |
| 1746 | MATINA | Earthquake | — | — | 28 km |
Source: NOAA/NCEI Historical Tsunami Database.
Nearby Volcanoes
6 volcanoes within 200 km. Closest: Turrialba (80 km).
| Name | Type | Elevation | Last Eruption | Distance |
| Turrialba | Stratovolcano | 3,340 m (10,958 ft) | 2019 | 80 km |
| Irazu | Stratovolcano | 3,432 m (11,260 ft) | 1994 | 89 km |
| Barva | Complex | 2,906 m (9,534 ft) | -6050 | 118 km |
| Poas | Stratovolcano | 2,708 m (8,885 ft) | 2019 | 133 km |
| Platanar | Stratovolcano(es) | 2,267 m (7,438 ft) | Unknown | 150 km |
| Arenal | Stratovolcano | 1,670 m (5,479 ft) | 2010 | 190 km |
Source: Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program (GVP).
Monthly Weather
| Month | Avg Temperature | Precipitation | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 77°F (25°C) | 10.4 in | |
| February | 78°F (26°C) | 7.3 in | |
| March | 80°F (26°C) | 6.3 in | Driest |
| April | 80°F (27°C) | 8.2 in | Warmest |
| May | 80°F (27°C) | 10.4 in | |
| June | 79°F (26°C) | 11.9 in | |
| July | 79°F (26°C) | 14.5 in | |
| August | 78°F (26°C) | 11.3 in | |
| September | 78°F (26°C) | 8.0 in | |
| October | 78°F (25°C) | 9.7 in | |
| November | 77°F (25°C) | 14.0 in | |
| December | 77°F (25°C) | 15.7 in | Coldest, Wettest |
Limón has a seasonal temperature swing of 4°F / from 77°F in December to 80°F in April. Total annual precipitation is 127.7 inches, with December being the wettest month (15.7") and March the driest (6.3").