Best time to visit San José
The best time to visit San José is January–March, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
San José, San Jose, Costa Rica
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21 °C / 70 °F | 14.3 °C / 58 °F | 94 mm / 3.7 in | best month |
| February | 21.5 °C / 71 °F | 14.3 °C / 58 °F | 70 mm / 2.8 in | best month |
| March | 22.2 °C / 72 °F | 14.6 °C / 58 °F | 62 mm / 2.4 in | best month |
| April | 23.1 °C / 74 °F | 15.7 °C / 60 °F | 113 mm / 4.4 in | good month |
| May | 23.2 °C / 74 °F | 16.5 °C / 62 °F | 333 mm / 13.1 in | neither best nor good |
| June | 23.1 °C / 74 °F | 16.6 °C / 62 °F | 377 mm / 14.8 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 22.8 °C / 73 °F | 16.5 °C / 62 °F | 306 mm / 12 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 23 °C / 73 °F | 16.2 °C / 61 °F | 347 mm / 13.7 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 23.2 °C / 74 °F | 16.2 °C / 61 °F | 360 mm / 14.2 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 22.6 °C / 73 °F | 16.2 °C / 61 °F | 468 mm / 18.4 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 21.7 °C / 71 °F | 15.8 °C / 60 °F | 379 mm / 14.9 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 21.4 °C / 71 °F | 15 °C / 59 °F | 159 mm / 6.3 in | good month |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: best
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: best
- AApril: good
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: good
- Best
- January–March
- Good
- April, December
San José's dry season from January to March is best for exploring outdoors — mild and comparatively dry with the year's best sunshine — April and December are good transitional months, while May through November bring heavy, humid, overwhelmingly afternoon downpours that make the rainy season a poor stretch for a day outside.
Why these months
January · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.9 °C / 71 °F, average daily high 21 °C / 70 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, average daily low 14.3 °C / 58 °F.
Against: wet days 13.1 days, precipitation 94 mm / 3.7 in, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 54%, relative humidity 83%.
February · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 22.6 °C / 73 °F, average daily high 21.5 °C / 71 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily low 14.3 °C / 58 °F.
Against: wet days 11.4 days, precipitation 70 mm / 2.8 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 57%, relative humidity 80%.
March · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.8 °C / 75 °F, average daily high 22.2 °C / 72 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, average daily low 14.6 °C / 58 °F.
Against: wet days 14.8 days, precipitation 62 mm / 2.4 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 69%, relative humidity 80%.
Also on: Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions.
Watch out for: Semana Santa travel rush.
April · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 25.3 °C / 78 °F, average daily high 23.1 °C / 74 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 82%, average daily low 15.7 °C / 60 °F.
Against: wet days 20.6 days, precipitation 113 mm / 4.4 in, days with heavy rain 2.9 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 83%, relative humidity 82%.
Also on: Día de Juan Santamaría, Feria de las Orquídeas (Orchid festival), Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions, Semana Universidad.
Watch out for: Semana Santa travel rush.
December · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 22.6 °C / 73 °F, average daily high 21.4 °C / 71 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 82%, average daily low 15 °C / 59 °F.
Against: wet days 17.6 days, precipitation 159 mm / 6.3 in, days with heavy rain 4.8 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 55%, relative humidity 85%.
Also on: Día de la Abolición del Ejército (Army Abolition Day).
Watch out for: End-of-year holiday travel rush.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Sugar Mountain Resort, 2921 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 21.9 °C | 22.6 °C | 23.8 °C | 25.3 °C | 26.2 °C | 26.3 °C | 25.5 °C | 26.1 °C | 26.7 °C | 25.8 °C | 23.9 °C | 22.6 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 2.5 days | 1.4 days | 1.1 days | 2.9 days | 11.2 days | 13.3 days | 10.7 days | 12.1 days | 14.2 days | 16.3 days | 10.8 days | 4.8 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 3 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 1 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 10.5 h | 10.9 h | 11 h | 10.1 h | 8.3 h | 7.7 h | 7.6 h | 8.2 h | 8.1 h | 7.2 h | 7.3 h | 9.4 h |
| Relative humidity | 83% | 80% | 80% | 82% | 88% | 90% | 88% | 88% | 90% | 91% | 90% | 85% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 5.7 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ | 9.7 µg/m³ | 10.2 µg/m³ | 10.4 µg/m³ | 10.1 µg/m³ | 7.7 µg/m³ | 8.8 µg/m³ | 9 µg/m³ | 7.8 µg/m³ | 6.2 µg/m³ | 5.9 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 8.9 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ | 14.5 µg/m³ | 15.4 µg/m³ | 16.2 µg/m³ | 16.7 µg/m³ | 12.9 µg/m³ | 14.5 µg/m³ | 14.8 µg/m³ | 13.7 µg/m³ | 10.8 µg/m³ | 9.5 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Día de Juan Santamaría
11 April
- Feria de las Orquídeas (Orchid festival)
April
- Semana Universidad
April
- Día de los Trabajadores (Labour Day)
1 May
- Anexión de Nicoya (Guanacaste Day)
25 July
- Festival Internacional de Música
July
- Antorcha de la Libertad (Freedom Torch) festivities
September
- Día de la Independencia
15 September
- Día del Sabanero (Cowboy Day)
October
- Día de Todos los Santos (All Souls' Day)
November
- Fiesta de las Carretas (Ox Cart Parade)
November
- Día de la Abolición del Ejército (Army Abolition Day)
1 December
Worth knowing before you go
- Semana Santa travel rush
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Mid-year school holidays travel rush
July
- Antorcha de la Libertad traffic congestion
September
- End-of-year holiday travel rush
December