QCOSTARICA — Guanacaste, by far, has been the hardest hit by the rains of the last several days. According to meteorologists, in just six days, Guanacaste recorded accumulated rainfall equivalent to all the water that falls in an average November.
“In some areas it has rained 8, 9 and 10 times more than it rains in all of November in Guanacaste. If on average it rains 130 millimeters (mm), in the last 6 days we have 900. We are talking about having 8 times more than what normally accumulates in the entire month of November in a period of 6 days.
“It has been an extraordinarily rainy month. That is the reason why we have so many incidents in Guanacaste right now, just like in the South Pacific,” explained meteorologist at the national weather center, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), Daniel Poleo.
– Advertisement –
“We can talk about the record that was recorded in Sardinal (de Carrillo): 320 millimeters in 24 hours. It is a record for maximum rainfall recorded in one day. Towards sectors of the Nicoya Peninsula as well, such as the south of the peninsula, where we had 220 millimeters accumulated in 24 hours in Cabuya (Cóbano de Puntarenas). That basically doubles the record for maximum rainfall in 24 hours,” Poleo added.
The meteorologist emphasized that, although these stations have been installed for 10 to 20 years, the records are important.
That amount of rain is precisely what has caused hundreds of incidents throughout the country during the last week, such as floods and landslides. They have also forced the moving to shelters of more than 1,000 people in the affected areas.
“Although it is true that rainfall has decreased in the last few hours, that does not mean that this will stop completely and that we will have a decrease in soil saturation, which will remain saturated in the coming days,” said the specialist.
– Advertisement –
Previous forecasts from the IMN indicate that the showers will occur for the rest of the week.
The official IMN weather forecast for Wednesday, November 13, 2024:
This Wednesday the rains continue throughout the country, since the Intertropical Convergence Zone persists over Costa Rica providing constant humidity. In addition, the possible strengthening of Tropical Wave#46 in the center of the Caribbean Sea could lead to an increase in rainfall activity during the night. Rainfall will be continuous and of varying intensity throughout the country, with periods of downpours in the Pacific and plains of both the Northern Zone and the Caribbean. In the mountainous sectors and in the Central Valley, rainfall will be moderate with temporary fog banks.
Currently, the entire Pacific coast remains under ‘Red Alert’. The Central Valley, the Northern Zone and the Northern Caribbean are on ‘Orange Alert’, while the Southern Caribbean is on ‘Yellow Alert’.
– Advertisement –
– Advertisement –
Source link
Rico
