Flood Warnings in Costa Rica
Flood 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 river 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 flood warnings
Flood warnings come from national or regional water authorities and civil protection agencies. They distinguish between river floods that build over hours or days, flash floods that follow heavy rain within minutes, and coastal storm surge. Watches and warnings name the affected river basins and districts, so the decisive information is always the local catchment, not the country average.
Who issues flood 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
- Move valuables and electrical equipment out of cellars and basements.
- Never drive or walk through moving water - 30 cm can sweep a car away.
- Know the highest point of your building and a route to higher ground.
Where the data comes from
Waarning reads public, key-free sources for Costa Rica: Open-Meteo, Copernicus EMS, national hydrological services, civil protection agencies. 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 flood 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 flood warnings for Costa Rica?
Yes. The dashboard loads the current values for San José from Open-Meteo, Copernicus EMS, national hydrological services, civil protection agencies. You can open it with one click and the location is already set.
More warnings for Costa Rica
- Severe Weather Warnings
- Drought Warnings
- Air Quality Warnings
- Earthquake Alerts
- Volcano Alerts
- Tsunami Warnings
Flood Warnings in nearby countries
Generated 2026-10-18. Waarning is not an official warning service; in an emergency follow local authorities and emergency services.