Severe Weather Warnings in Costa Rica
Severe Weather Warnings for Costa Rica (Central America) come from Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias (CNE). This page explains what these warnings mean, which authority publishes them, and how to check the current status for San José.
Check live storms, status for San JoséBrowse all warnings
At a glance
- countryCosta Rica · North America
- reference citySan José (9.93, -84.08)
- emergencyPrimary emergency number911
- risk profilestorm, flood, landslide, earthquake, volcano, tsunami, drought
What counts as a severe weather warnings
Severe weather warnings are issued by a national meteorological service when wind gusts, thunderstorms, hail or heavy rain are expected to reach a level that can damage buildings, interrupt transport or endanger people outdoors. Warning levels differ by country, but almost all of them scale from an advisory up to a red or extreme level with instructions to stay indoors.
Who issues severe weather warnings in Costa Rica
- meteoInstituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN)
- civilComisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias (CNE)
Warning levels, colours and terminology are set nationally. Always read the warning text of the issuing authority: it names the affected districts, the expected time window and the recommended action.
If a warning is active in Costa Rica
- Postpone exposed activities such as roofing, scaffolding or boat trips.
- Secure loose objects on balconies, terraces and building sites.
- Keep a charged phone, a torch and a battery or wind-up radio ready.
Where the data comes from
Waarning reads public, key-free sources for Costa Rica: Open-Meteo, NOAA NWS, Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), MeteoAlarm. Measurements and official warnings are shown separately, and official warnings always keep the name of the authority that issued them.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues severe weather warnings in Costa Rica?
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias (CNE). Waarning does not issue warnings; it aggregates the public feeds of these bodies and links back to the original source.
What is the emergency number in Costa Rica?
The primary emergency number is 911. Use it for a life-threatening situation; for non-urgent reports use the local police station number.
Does Waarning show live severe weather warnings for Costa Rica?
Yes. The dashboard loads the current values for San José from Open-Meteo, NOAA NWS, Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), MeteoAlarm. You can open it with one click and the location is already set.
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Generated 2026-10-13. Waarning is not an official warning service; in an emergency follow local authorities and emergency services.