Hurricanes in Costa Rica – Little To Worry About Until Today?

The word hurricane probably comes to us via the Spanish explorers from the Taino Indian (of the Caribbean, now extinct) word huracan (evil spirit).

It is also highly probable that the word came to the Tainos from the Maya word Huraken (God of Storms or bad weather).

Hurricane Season is from June 1 – November 30 and prior to Katrina, hurricane Andrew was the most destructive United States hurricane of record. Andrew blew its way across South Florida on August 24th 1992, moved westward into the Gulf of Mexico and struck the Louisiana coast on Aug. 26.

There was about 600,000 homes and businesses that were destroyed or severely damaged by the winds, waves, and rain. The damage caused by Hurricane Andrew totaled $26 billion dollars, the most costly natural disaster in United States history.

In the year 2004, just in the one state of Florida, hurricanes caused US$20.1 billion worth of damage and killed about 117.

Obviously this pales in comparison with the damage caused by hurricane Katrina which according to the latest estimate from Risk Management Solutions could cost more than $100 billion.

Costa Rica Hurricane César

But you’ll be pleased to know that hurricanes have not directly hit Costa Rica. From the research we were able to do, it would appear that the last serious hurricane to cause serious problems in Costa Rica – but did not actually strike it – was Hurricane César which formed off the coast of Venezuela, near Curaçao, on July 25th 1996.

There were 29 deaths in Costa Rica attributed to Hurricane César.

Although some 9 out of every 10 hurricane deaths are from drowning, most deaths in Costa Rica were due to secondary effects of the hurricane like flooding and mudslides caused by César’s heavy rainfall. In fact, regular flooding is far more of a problem in certain areas of Costa Rica than hurricanes.

With hurricane César a total of 451,500 persons were affected in the Cantones (districts) of Acosta, Paraiso, Perez Zeledon, Buenos Aires, Parrita, Tarrazu, Osa, Aguirre, Golfito, Dota, Coto Brus, Corredor, and Lepanto. Of these, 30,000 persons (6,000 families) were severely affected, with 4,212 persons having to be housed in 14 temporary shelters.

Costa Rica Hurricane Otto.

Thankfully, Costa Rica has been below the hurricane line and rarely receives direct damage from the hurricanes that tend to plague more northern parts of the Caribbean.

Having said that today – the 23rd November 2016 – Costa Rica is indeed bracing itself for hurricane Otto. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in 174 years: “There is no record of a hurricane that has passed through Costa Rica, Otto could be the first in history.”

For more up to date information, please see the National Hurricane Center. National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administrator here.

You may think we’re joking, but sunburn ruins more trips than any other danger you’re likely to face in Costa Rica. The location near the equator, and lofty elevations of many of the attractions add up to extremely intense UV radiation.

Written by Scott Oliver, author of 1: How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, 2: Costa Rica’s Guide To Making Money Offshore and 3. ¿Cómo Comprar Bienes Raíces en Costa Rica, Sin Perder Su Camisa?

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.