For this reflection I chose to do Nicoya, Costa Rica. Comparing this location not only has meaning for me because Costa Rica is one of my favorite countries but also because comparing it to the colder, maritime climate of Augustine Island, Alaska is interesting in that they are both relatively moist climates, however one is relatively cold and one is tropical. To start, it is easy to compare the climates by analyzing climagraphs from each location. Below is the climagraph for Alaska, followed by Costa Rica.
Mean monthly maximum and minimum temperature and total precipitation
for the period 1971 - 2000.
for the period 1971 - 2000.
Clearly, the average temperatures for South Central Alaska rarely reach 70 for just a short couple months out of the year. The rest of the year remains relatively cool to freezing. This is due to the maritime climate. This, along with the latitude, contribute to the cooler summer months so that Alaska never sees extreme heat in the summer.
Nicoya's climagraph tells quite a different story. It is apparent right away that there are much larger temperature variations because of the extremely hot temperatures Costa Rica receives in the summer months. The high temperatures correspond to the dry season, while lower temperatures occur in the wet season where, being a tropical climate, they receive a great deal of rainfall. It is these vast differences in yearly temperature as well as periods of greatest precipitation that make these two places so interesting to compare. Below are contrasting images of the location that illustrate what the climagraphs portray.
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