Do you remember the images that showed the drought of the lakes of La Sabana or La Paz Park? They were not a coincidence. According to data from the National Meteorological Institute (IMN), collected between January and August of this year, the Central Valley is the area of the country with the highest rainfall deficit.
Under normal conditions, in the period under analysis, rainfall for this region of the country should have accumulated 1.12 millimeters (mm) of rainfall. However, only 857 mm are counted. That is, -22%.
Luis Fernando Alvarado Gamboa, meteorologist of the IMN Department of Climatology, explained to CRHoy.com that behind these data are the influence of El Niño phenomenon and other anomalies in the Atlantic.
The second area most affected by the lack of rain is the South Pacific. There is -21% rainfall recorded.
The Central Valley covers areas ranging from San Ramón de Alajuela to Paraíso de Cartago. The most critical deficit values are also in the North Pacific (-16%) and North Zone (-15%). Other regions, such as the North Caribbean (-9%) and the South Caribbean (-4%), suffer negative impacts but at lower levels.
In these regions you have to understand that the year started very badly. November and December 2018, and January 2019, were extremely dry. In fact, of the driest for the historical record (…) There was a drought in those areas that lasted until February. It was quite severe. Only the North Zone has not recovered like the others (North Caribbean and South Caribbean) from such a severe drought, ”
said Alvarado.
The situation that impacts the country is not only due to El Niño, but also to other factors linked to the Atlantic Ocean. For example, on this last point, the necessary humidity was not generated for more rains to occur in the Northern Zone and the Caribbean.
Projections indicate that in this last quarter of the year the typical conditions for the rainy season would prevail.