The Daily Blog

Saturday January 13, 2024.

Written by Las Catalinas | Jan 13, 2024 1:00:00 PM

"Las Pintas”: Traditional Agricultural Weather Wisdom in Costa Rica 

 

As we reach January 13th, it is an opportune moment to reflect on the weather of the past twelve days and delve into traditional Costa Rican folklore to forecast the remainder of the year. "Las Pintas" represents an ancient agricultural belief in Central America, offering insights into predicting the year's planting and harvest based on observed weather patterns. Though not rooted in scientific principles, this activity brings a delightful charm to both planting and your overall Costa Rica trip planning experience. 

 

"Pintas" or "Pintas y Repintas" originates from the phrase "cómo pintará el clima," meaning how the weather will 'paint.' This belief suggests that the weather during the initial days of the year offers insights into the atmospheric conditions to expect throughout the rest of the year to predict planting patterns for the year. Today, for numerous family-owned heritage farms throughout Costa Rica, tracking Las Pintas serves to uphold this age-old tradition. 

 

Tracking Las Pintas 

 

 

From day one to twelve, each day is believed to mirror a month, with an astute analysis of temperature, wind, rain, sun, and cloud cover. Moving on to days thirteen to nineteen, the focus shifts to capturing the essence of a morning and afternoon, collecting notes for two months in one day swiftly. Objectivity is key during this period, despite the typically consistent January weather. Observers hold onto specifics; for instance, foreseeing this weekend’s heat wave hints at warm weather not just in January but extending into February, March, and April. The initial windy conditions in Guanacaste on January 1st set the tone for what could be a breezy month ahead. Heavy clouds tend to be a nod to a rainy month. 

 

January 1st – January 

 January 2nd – February 

January 3rd -- March 

January 4th -- April 

January 5th -- May 

January 6th -- June 

January 7th -- July 

January 8th -- August 

January 9th -- September 

January 10th -- October 

January 11th -- November 

January 12th -- December  

January 13th (AM) -- January 

January 13th (PM) -- February 

January 14th (AM) -- March 

January 14th (PM) -- April 

January 15th (AM) -- May 

January 15th (PM) -- June 

January 16th (AM) -- July 

January 16th (PM) -- August 

January 17th (AM) -- September 

January 17th (PM) -- October 

January 18th (AM) -- November 

January 18th (PM) -- December  

 

The culmination of Las Pintas falls on January 19th, where every hour from sunrise to sunset, or 6 PM to 6 PM, is believed to symbolize a month. 

 

January 19th (6:00 AM to 7:00 AM) -- January 

January 19th (7:00 AM to 8:00 AM) -- February 

January 19th (8:00 AM to 9:00 AM) -- March 

January 19th (9:00 AM to 10:00 AM) -- April 

January 19th (10:00 AM to 11:00 AM) -- May 

January 19th (11:00 AM to 12:00 PM) -- June 

January 19th (12:00 PM to 1:00 PM) -- July 

January 19th (1:00 PM to 2:00 PM) -- August 

January 19th (2:00 PM to 3:00 PM) -- September 

January 19th (3:00 PM to 4:00 PM) -- October 

January 19th (4:00 PM to 5:00 PM) -- November 

January 19th (5:00 PM to 6:00 PM) -- December 

 

 

On January 20th, the observations for each day are compiled and systematically compared, forming the foundation for forecasting the weather for the remainder of the year. 

 

Have you gathered any intriguing weather observations from the past twelve days? Make a note of them as we approach the final "repinta" days to further track and analyze the evolving patterns.