Seasons and Weather

La Montaña y el Valle - The Coffee Estate Inn is situated across the valley from the 11,400 foot (3474 metres) Baru Volcano, 26 kilometres from the Altantic Ocean and 55 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean. We are wedged in between the two oceans and two competing weather systems.

As a result, the Boquete district has many different micro-climates. The "Boquete area" directly adjacent to the town of Boquete including the Boquete valley and the surrounding close-by mountains is dramatically affected by cold winter conditions in the north. You can drive right out of a storm in the Boquete valley to sunshine and blue skies within five kilometres. High winds generally prevail, however, in the "Dry" season.

When the world is experiencing "La Niña", we generally have our best weather years. El Niño seems to have the opposite effect. This is a volatile mountain climate and spring-like year round. The only thing that we can guarantee is that it won't snow! Pack long pants, heavy sweatshirt or cotton sweater for the evenings and a rainproof jacket. An extra pair of running shoes is a good idea.

We would caution you that much of the weather information for Boquete that you read about on the Internet is inaccurate.

Given the changing weather systems worldwide, please note that we have also experienced varying weather conditions in 2008 and 2010

Below are some satellite weather links you might find helpful.
Click here to visit the NASA Global Hydrology & Climate Center
Click here to visit the United States Air Force Public Weather Site
GOES-12 Interactive 4 km Visible Weather Satellite Image Selector

Weather mid-December to mid-February

We frequently have high winds (up to 40km/hour) and misting rain known locally as "Bajareque" from the Atlantic side. Most mornings, the combination of sun, wind and bajareque produces hour-long rainbows across the valley. What a wondrous view! During these months, one day can be beautiful and the next day stormy.

We usually have two annual storms that last 3-4 days each in late December, January or early February. In the ten years that we have lived here, January has been the most predictable month for storms of any duration. In January, 2005, we experienced 16 storm days. These storm conditions are caused by cold air being pushed south-east into the Atlantic from the polar regions and blown south-west into the mountain ranges of Central America by strong northerly Trade Winds. The temperature during the daytime at our inn may rise to 75º F or 26º C with evenings cooling to 60º F or 16º C.

Highlights during this time at the estate:

	Excellent birding including northern migrants.
	Coffee cherries are bright red and abundant and are harvested from December through February.
	New coffee picked in late October is roasted in February. It's the freshest coffee that you will ever drink!
	30,000 of our navel oranges are at their peak - large, sweet and delicious. We encourage you to eat as many as you like.
	Frequently there are rainbows across the Boquete valley.
	Cycnoches warscewiczii, a Swan Orchid, blooms in January.
	Abundant clusters of orange and yellow tubular blossoms on "Marmalade plant" bushes.
	Thousands of pink and purple azalea flowers.
	Trumpet Creeper.

Weather February, March, April, early May

	In the "Boquete area" referred to above, usually, these months are the driest, sunniest and warmest. During this period, temperatures rise to 80°F+ or 24°C during the afternoons and 64°F or 14°C in the evenings. We sometimes experience dramatic afternoon thunderstorms. April can be the driest and sunniest month of the year.

Highlights during this time at the estate:

	Coffee flowering (with long arms of delicate white flowers on the coffee trees, it looks like it snowed!) primarily in March, but some flowering in April and May as well.
	Native orchids such as cochleanthes discolor are blooming. Excellent birding - see our estate birding list.

	Vibrant heliconia rostrata are blooming.
	Our thousands of roses are at their peak.
	Cactus Flowers.
	In March the Clay-colored and Mountain Thrushes begin their dawn and dusk serenades that continue until the rains come.
	Dramatic fiery sunsets on a cobalt sky.
	Vibrant Helliconia Andromeda Psittacorum.

Weather Mid-May to mid-December

	During the rainy season that usually commences between May 12-16, we have no wind or light variable winds and brilliant sunny mornings. In the evening it is fascinating to watch the "lightning shows" 15 kilometers away and to hear the thunder rolling around. The volcano is clouded over by noon and is followed by hard downpours in the afternoon for one to five hours (progressive with the advance of the months) and clear evenings. Usually, we have a weather condition similar to Indian summer, "Verano de San Juan" starting in July for 2-4 weeks. The Trade Winds return during this period pushing off the wet Pacific weather system. As a result, it is drier and very green from previous rains. July is one of our favorite months of the year.
	October can be the rainiest month with more cloud coverage. It certainly was in 2005! November and early December can also be wet. November, 2004 was unusually dry and sunny. November, 2005 was wet and misty. It depends on the year.

Highlights during this time at the estate:

	Periodic good birding throughout the rainy season. The estate is incredibly lush and vibrant green!
	Gardens are fragrant with Angel's Trumpet (Brugmancia).
	Thousands of fragrant orange blossoms.
	native trees such as Palomo (citharexylum donnell-smithii) are fruiting.
	There is constant plant bloom including Night-blooming Cereus cactus (hylocereus costaricensis) and native orchids.
	Under an early moonset, at the end of October, our first coffee is harvested.

Orchids