The current drought conditions experienced in various regions of Costa Rica may extend well into May and early June; however, substantial rainfall may cause floods and landslides once the green season takes hold.

According to a recent press conference conducted by the National Meteorology Institute of Costa Rica (Spanish initials: IMN), the 2016 green season will feature heavy rainstorms and increased precipitation in comparison to 2015. This is good news for regions such as Guanacaste, where many communities suffered a 45 percent rainfall deficit last year.

Fluvial levels in Guanacaste and in the northern Alajuela region may increase by up to 30 percent with this year’s green season. The rest of the country is expected to enjoy higher than average rainfall levels, but this may also imply powerful rainstorms.

Record-high temperatures are expected to last well into April, and this might bring about a transitional period of scattered rains before the green season formally begins. During this period, some coastal regions may get two consecutive rainy days followed by a dry week.

The green season usually arrives earlier for the Caribbean region of Costa Rica, and this year it may extend by quite a few weeks. In 2015, Caribbean rainfall levels were 17 percent higher than usual, and meteorologists believe that the 2016 levels will be even higher. This increased rainfall has been welcomed by the agricultural sector; however, ecologists are concerned about the combination of constant rains, rising sea levels and beach erosion in the province of Limon.

As previously reported by The Costa Rica Star, climate change and shoreline erosion along some Caribbean beaches has prompted sea turtles to seek other spots for nesting.