The cold front season in Costa Rica will be less frequent and intense than usual in 2023.This is what experts from the National Meteorological Institute (IMN) predict, mainly influenced by the El Niño phenomenon.
“During El Niño, that is more or less the characteristic and for this year, the amount of front will be less. Perhaps only one extreme event will occur in the province of Limón,” said Luis Alvarado, from the Climatology Unit.This season begins in November and lasts until February.
Extreme event
“When we talk about an extreme event, it is because there can be winds with speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour in the mountains and excessive rain in the Caribbean,” explained Eladio Solano, from the IMN.“Rain may also occur in the Central Valley. Despite being in the dry season, it does not mean that some isolated ones cannot occur,” he added.
High Waves
The start of the dry season in the national territory is expected for November as usual.On the other hand, the increase in winds brought by cold fronts generates high waves in the Caribbean.
“From November to January, the condition of high waves occurs mainly in the Caribbean area, influenced by northerly winds,” commented Omar Lizano, from the Center for Research in Marine Sciences and Limnology (Cimar-UCR).
This year, waves of up to 1.8 meters may occur, which together with an increase in sea level (due to the impact of El Niño) can generate flooding and erosion in some sectors.
“Erosions are caused to a greater extent by waves, but for example, the Caribbean has not had very high waves, so because there is erosion, due to the increase in sea level generated by El Niño and global warming,” emphasized the specialist.
Erosion is the wear and tear suffered by the earth’s surface by the action of natural forces. It is a series of processes, of a physical or chemical nature, that wear down and destroy soils and rocks.During 1997-1998, under El Niño, sea level reached up to 60 centimeters higher, which generated flooding in coastal sectors.
