Mexico has two distinct seasons: rainy (May to mid-October) and dry (mid-October to April).
Fortunately, rainy season isn’t a total wash out. When I visited Guadalajara in June, rain was in the forecast each day. But there were only a couple of short showers during my stay.
One side benefit was that the few weeks of rain that preceded my visit filled the rivers and turned parts of the countryside a darker shade of green.
Green Season. Costa Rica euphemistically refers to its rainy months as “the green season.” You can usually book a room for less money during these months than you could in the dry season.
I’ve read that Guatemala’s Western Highlands (where I’ll be staying in May) shares the same weather schedule.
But, according to Fodor’s, “Guatemalans confuse the situation by calling their dry season verano (summer) [Oct-April] and their rainy season [May-Oct] invierno (winter).
I bet Guatemala’s winter will be much milder than the one I just experienced in Washington, D.C.
Have any tips about the seasons or weather in Latin America?
Photo by Faramarz (Via Creative Commons)
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on Apr 17th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
The problem is, most people don’t really read the “when to go” section of their guidebook (if they read a guidebook at all). Or they hope for the best and don’t prepare for the worst. Reality in Central America is that rainy season means buckets of rain nonstop for days on end sometimes. Sure, you might get lucky for a few days and just get an afternoon shower, but you’re just as likely to see rainy days every day of your Costa Rica vacation if you go at the wrong time. No big deal if you’re river rafting, but a problem if your plans revolve around birdwatching and walking on beaches.
on Apr 19th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
Steven, I’m excited to hear about your adventures in Guatemala in May!
on Apr 19th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Thanks. I’m looking forward to it. I have about exactly a month to go. During this time I really must focus on brushing up on my Spanish.