Snow in Costa Rica?

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Snow in Costa Rica?

9 October, 2018

Mauricio Castro Salazar

Linkedin: mauricio castro salazar

Many times I have heard the expression: “It’s cold, we only need snow” and many people really wish that snow would fall, without thinking about the consequences. Last year in January, the rumor was spread that some morning it had snowed in Costa Rica, in “Chirripó”, but a Little after, the park wardens confirmed that is was very cold but no snow had fallen.

Years ago it was said that it was snowing at “Cerro de la Muerte” and to confirm the story many people went to see for themselves and to play with the snow or hail which was the reason for the comment. It’s hard to believe that people would have a chance to play with the snow if it really had snowed in “Chirripó“.

The cold we have experienced, is it due to climate changes? Climate variation? A normal change?

There is some truth in everything. January is a time when the cold fronts come down from the North, now days enhanced with a little of climate variation and with climate changes.

I would rather like to name “climate changes” to all of this and not beat about the bush, facilitating the understanding of the majority and of course, help to create conscience of what we are really living.

These changes should make us wonder if the way we build our homes is correct: full of glass-window-blinds and windows which allow the free passage of wind to cool off. I have also seen newspaper “reinforcements” covering cracks and crevices in walls and windows.

We have to adapt to the new climate conditions. We have to make sure if everything related to rain in our homes is working cofrrectly: (gutters, drainpipes, and drains) and are enough to handle the quantity of water that now falls.

We have to make sure that our windows and blinds shut with a certain degree of tightness to prevent wind from revolving all around the house and of course allow those same windows and glass-blinds that we now wish to close watertight, to be able to open wide in March and April so the house can be aired.

The country lost large sums of money several months ago due to the floods we had and will lose even more again in the following months for the same reason. It sounds illogical to continue wasting resources in re-building instead of investing in constructions that will really protect us, once and for all.

It’s about time the infrastructure gets adapted to the new climate conditions, but since the aforementioned should take “some time”, we should start with our homes, preparing them, adjusting new roof gutters, drainpipes and drains, checking also our windows and blinds, continuing with the sewer, curb-drainage and then the whole neighborhood.

Climate changes are here to stay; we have to adapt.

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