AI-generatedAlajuela at a glance
- Best time
- Jan – Feb
- Warmest month
- Apr · 33°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,560 h
- Rain a year
- 2,818 mm
- Climate
- Tropical
- Time zone
- UTC−6
- Elevation
- 955 m
Climate in Alajuela
Alajuela has a tropical climate: it is warm all year round, and the seasons differ mainly in how much rain falls. April is the warmest month with average highs of 33 °C, while November is the coolest at 30 °C. With around 1,560 hours of sunshine a year, Alajuela is rather dull; March is the sunniest month with 6.0 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Best time to visit Alajuela
The best time to visit Alajuela is from January to February. In April it can get very hot, with highs of up to 33 °C. The rainy season is from May to November; the wettest month is November with 361 mm.
Alajuela through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Alajuela in the dry season
Dec – Apr
Poor
- 31–33 °C by day
- 5.4 h of sun a day
- 82 rainy days in all
Alajuela in the rainy season
May – Nov
Poor
- 30–32 °C by day
- 3.5 h of sun a day
- 201 rainy days in all
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No sea nearby
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
No month
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Peak heat
Apr
Highs of 33 °C or more
Rainy months
May – Nov
Rainy season or more than 12 rainy days
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Alajuela for you.
Your best months: January – February, November
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Weather in October
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: January – February
Keep in mindFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 23°
- Midday, 13:00: about 30°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 28°
- Evening, 20:00: about 22°
- Night, 23:00: about 20°
05:2517:20
Pleasant evenings; a light layer can help.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 05:12–05:53 · evening 16:52–17:33
- Blue hour
- Morning 05:04–05:12 · evening 17:33–17:41
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
October in Alajuela compared with home
Loading the climate at home …
Early or late October?
In October, daytime highs fall from about 31° at the start of the month to 30° at the end. The days get 0.3 h shorter.
| October | 1 Oct | 31 Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime high | 31° | 30° |
| Night-time low | 16° | 16° |
| Daylight | 12.0 h | 11.8 h |
What is the weather like in Alajuela in October?
In October, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.1 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 30 days, totalling 342 mm. On about 21 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 55 min05:25 – 17:20
- UV index
- 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 29 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 8 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 92 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 21 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Time zone
- UTC−6offset from UTC
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %58 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %2 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Water bottle – drink plenty
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Compare two months in Alajuela
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
February has the better holiday weather in Alajuela: score 41 against 29. In February, days are 2 °C warmer than in October. February has 17 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 3 hours longer a day in February.
| Month | October | February |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 29 | 41better |
| Daytime high | 30° | 32° |
| Night-time low | 16° | 15° |
| Sunshine | 3.1 h | 5.9 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 30 | 13better |
| Rainfall | 342 mm | 94 mmbetter |
| Muggy days | 29 | 1better |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Alajuela month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
38January31° · 5.3 h
In January, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. Expect around 5.3 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 17 days, adding up to 149 mm. On about 23 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela – and yet one of the best months here.
Alajuela in January41February32° · 5.9 h
In February, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 32 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. Expect around 5.9 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 94 mm in total. On about 26 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, February is a so-so month for a holiday in Alajuela – and yet one of the best months here.
Alajuela in February33March33° · 6.0 h
In March, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 33 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. Expect around 6.0 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 75 mm in total. On about 30 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela.
Alajuela in March21April33° · 5.4 h
In April, Alajuela is very hot: daytime highs average 33 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. Expect around 5.4 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 104 mm. On about 29 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela.
Alajuela in April23May32° · 3.8 h
In May, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 32 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.8 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 28 days, totalling 302 mm. On about 28 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela.
Alajuela in May26June31° · 3.4 h
In June, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.4 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 29 days, totalling 328 mm. On about 26 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela.
Alajuela in June26July31° · 3.4 h
In July, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.4 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 29 days, totalling 267 mm. On about 26 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela.
Alajuela in July27August31° · 3.8 h
In August, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.8 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 29 days, totalling 269 mm. On about 27 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela.
Alajuela in August27September31° · 3.6 h
In September, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.6 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 29 days, totalling 300 mm. On about 25 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela.
Alajuela in September29October30° · 3.1 h
In October, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.1 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 30 days, totalling 342 mm. On about 21 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela.
Alajuela in October30November30° · 3.1 h
In November, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.1 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 27 days, totalling 361 mm. On about 19 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela.
Alajuela in November33December31° · 4.4 h
In December, Alajuela is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. Expect around 4.4 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 21 days, adding up to 231 mm. On about 21 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Alajuela.
Alajuela in DecemberClimate in detail
Year & climate table
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Alajuela
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Pleasant 15–20°
- muggy month (15+ muggy days)
PleasantOctober: nights around 16°. Ideal for sleeping, often with the window open. Muggy on about 29 days (dew point 18 °C or more).
The coolest nights are in January (15°), the warmest in June (17°). Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) all year round. It is muggy (dew point 18 °C or more) on about 209 days a year, mostly from May to November.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 38 | 31° | 15° | 5.3 h | 17 | 149 |
| FebruaryFeb | 41 | 32° | 15° | 5.9 h | 13 | 94 |
| MarchMar | 33 | 33° | 16° | 6.0 h | 14 | 75 |
| AprilApr | 21 | 33° | 16° | 5.4 h | 18 | 104 |
| MayMay | 23 | 32° | 17° | 3.8 h | 28 | 302 |
| JuneJun | 26 | 31° | 17° | 3.4 h | 29 | 328 |
| JulyJul | 26 | 31° | 17° | 3.4 h | 29 | 267 |
| AugustAug | 27 | 31° | 16° | 3.8 h | 29 | 269 |
| SeptemberSep | 27 | 31° | 16° | 3.6 h | 29 | 300 |
| OctoberOct | 29 | 30° | 16° | 3.1 h | 30 | 342 |
| NovemberNov | 30 | 30° | 15° | 3.1 h | 27 | 361 |
| DecemberDec | 33 | 31° | 15° | 4.4 h | 21 | 231 |
Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
10.02° N, 84.21° W · 955 m · America/Costa_Rica
Sunshine
Sunshine hours in Alajuela
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 3.1 of 11.9 hours of daylight in Alajuela, 26 % of the daylight hours.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain
Rain in Alajuela: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Alajuela has about 30 rainy days with 342 mm of rain in total.
UV index
UV index in Alajuela
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 13 · extremeAvoid the midday sun; SPF 50+, covering clothes, hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in April (UV 14).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 10 min
- Fair skin
- about 15 min
- Light brown skin
- about 20 min
- Olive skin
- about 25 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen the time, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Wind & clouds
Wind and clouds in Alajuela
How breezy and how cloudy Alajuela is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Alajuela typically peaks at 8 km/h during the day: Beaufort 2, light breeze or less.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 92 % of the sky over Alajuela: mostly overcast, with about 3.1 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Heat & humidity
Heat and humidity in Alajuela
How often the day gets hot in Alajuela (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.
Heat calendar
- pleasant
- some hot or muggy days
- often muggy
- often hot
- hot and muggy
In October, Alajuela has about 21 hot days, with an average daytime high of 30 °C: hot and muggy. Plan outdoor activities for the morning and evening, drink a lot and take breaks in the cool.
Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year
Planning a trip to Alajuela
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Alajuela in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Alajuela has its best school-holiday weather during the Christmas holidays (score 36) and its weakest during May half-term (score 24).
- 25
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 33 °C by day
- 5.6 h of sun a day
- 17 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Peak heat
- 24
May half-term
May – Jun
Poor
- 32 °C by day
- 3.7 h of sun a day
- 28 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 27
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Poor
- 31 °C by day
- 3.7 h of sun a day
- 29 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 29
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 30 °C by day
- 3.1 h of sun a day
- 30 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 36
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
PoorBest holidays
- 31 °C by day
- 4.9 h of sun a day
- 19 rainy days a month
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 11 h
- Distance
- 8,710 km
- Time zone
- UTC−6
- Jet lag
- About 5 days (7 h west)
Rule of thumb for flying west: for a few days before, stay up a little later, and get afternoon and evening light at your destination.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Good to know: Costa Rica
- Currency
- Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
- Language
- Spanish
- Sockets
- Type A, B · 120 V
- Traffic
- Drives on the right
- Dialling code
- +506
- Emergency number
- 911 · 112
UK plugs need a travel adapter
Only 120 V: chargers marked 100–240 V work, other devices need a voltage converter.
Sources: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0). Please check details before you travel.
Compare & alternatives
Compare with another place
Alajuela compared
Put Alajuela side by side with another destination.
Alajuela vs San José
In October San José has the better holiday weather (score 40 vs 29). During the day San José is 1 °C cooler than Alajuela.
| in October | Alajuela | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 29 | 40 |
| Daytime high | 30° | 29° |
| Sunshine | 3 h | 3 h |
| Rainy days | 30 | 29 |
| Best time | Jan – Feb | Dec – Mar |
Through the year
Best places in the country
Costa Rica in October: the best places
In October, Alajuela ranks 8 of 9 destinations in this country.
- Puntarenas31°28°64
- 2Tamarindo31°28°63
- 3Jacó30°28°61
- 4Limón33°29°56
- 5Cartago26°45
- 6San José29°40
- 7La Fortuna30°34
- 8AlajuelaThis page30°29
Places nearby
Near Alajuela
Other destinations close by.
Places with a similar climate
Places with a climate like Alajuela
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Alajuela's – good alternatives.
Frequently asked questions about Alajuela
When is the best time to visit Alajuela?
The best time to visit Alajuela is from January to February. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Alajuela?
April is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C and nights around 16 °C. November is the coolest month at 30 °C.
When does it rain most in Alajuela?
The rainy season is from May to November; the wettest month is November with 361 mm. The driest month is March with 75 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Alajuela get?
Alajuela gets around 1,560 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is March with 6.0 hours a day; in October there are 3.1 hours a day.
What time zone is Alajuela in?
Alajuela is on UTC−6 all year.
How long is the flight from London to Alajuela?
A nonstop flight from London to Alajuela takes about 11 h, for a straight-line distance of about 8,710 km.
Which school holidays are best for Alajuela?
Alajuela has its best school-holiday weather during the Christmas holidays (score 36) and its weakest during May half-term (score 24). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 25, May half-term 24, summer holidays 27, October half-term 29, Christmas holidays 36.