Its turns out wind and rain spawning from Hurricane Dean is not likely to hit Costa Rica as intensely as expected as the hurricane rips its way through the Caribbean, according to a statement released yesterday by the National Emergency Commission (CNE).

Thanks to low humidity over the Pacific Ocean near the Southern Zone, the category 5 hurricane has lost speed, preventing it from kicking up the inclement weather it was expected to blow over to Costa Rica.

“The most recent analyses have shown that precipitation on the Pacific slope and Central Valley will fall within the normal range for the rainy season,” said National Meteorological Institute (IMN) director Pablo Manzo.

In light of this diminished risk, the commission has changed the yellow alert for the Pacific slope to a green, preventive alert.

It is also keeping its eye on the Caribbean port of Limón, where huge waves hit Sunday night, washing up to one of the city's parks.

This phenomenon was likely the product of disturbances in the Caribbean Sea caused by Hurricane Dean, the statement said.

-Tico Times