THE CAEIBBEAN AREA — NICARAGUA 



October. During the late fall, winter, and early spring, northei-s sometimes occur along 

 this coast. By the time they reach this area, however, the force is diminished. 



Observations by ships on the Nicaragua coast show northeast winds prevailing through- 

 out the year with east winds giving the second fiighest percentage. Ihe trade wind is of 

 greatest strength and constancy in January and July, September and October are the months 

 of lowest velocity. 



Along the coast the winds are lighter with a tendency to blow from the northwest, 

 especially during the winter months, A light land breeze is frequent in the early morning 

 hours. 



Rainfall is heavy most of the year although fiJ-ls are lightest in Februarj'^, Uarch, and 

 April. During the remainder of the year, there is almost incessant rain, eight out of ten 

 days being rainy at Bluefields. The amount increases frcm north to south: Cape Gracias a 

 Dios has 90 inches per year; Bluefields, 155 inches; and San Juan del Norte, 250 inches. 



Temperature and humidity are high throughout the year, but the heat is mitigated some- 

 what by the trades. The hottest months are April and May, and September and October; the 

 coolest month is January. 



Sea-water temperatures range from a high of 82.7 degrees 1. in September to a low of 

 79.1 degrees in Februarj'-, 



Pacific Coast ; The Pacific coast of Nicaragua maintains a general southeasterly 

 direction from the Gulf of Fonseca to the eastern boundary at the head of Salinas Bay, a 

 distance of about 200 miles. 



In general, the coast is cliffy, broken by stretches of sandy surf-swept beach and 

 more rarely lagoon and river mouths lined with mangrove swamps. 



At the extreme north, the Eatero Real, a broad,- navigable river, enters the Gulf of 

 Fonseca. The Tamarinda River enters the sea about 30 miles southeast of Corinto and it is 

 navigable for a short distance. There are, also, a few other small rivers and creeks that 

 form lagoons back of the beaches, but these streams disappear during the dry secison. The 

 coast is subject to heavy swells and there is little shelter for vessels except in the 

 Gulf of Fonseca, in Coidnto Harbor, and at San Juan del Sur, Small craft can find refuge 

 in these places and at a few other places. There are no off -lying islands or banks of 

 any size — only isolated rocks and small shoals close inshore. 



The 100-fathom curve lies about 30 miles offshore. The bottom slopes quite gradually. 

 The bottcm is predominantly sand, shells, and mud and quite regular in its topography 

 although isolated rocks may occur. Ttie portion of the Gulf of Fonseca within Nicaragua 

 is shallow with the greatest depths not over 8 fathoms. 



The population on this coast is very small and almost the only activity in the coastal 

 towns is shipping. Corinto is connected with the capital, Managua, by rail and thirough 

 Corinto goes practically all the inserts and exports of the country's interior, 



Ihe daninant winds on t^ds coast during Jan\iary to Uarch are the northeast trades. 

 Near to the coast, however, the winds are more frequently northwesterly. In the warmer 

 months, from April to September, the equatorial belt of calms lies over the coast and 

 frequent calms, as well as southerly winds, occur. From September to December, strong 

 northerly winds may be felt. An average of five tropical cyclones occur annually during 

 the summer and fall, and thunder squalls are frequent during the rainy season of summer 

 and fall. 



The mean air tenqjerature varies little throughout the year. The coastal region lies 

 entirely in what is known as the hot temperatiire zone or "tieri^ Ceiliente", Tbere is a 

 slight decrease in mean temperatures from south to north and the diurnal variations also 

 become greater. The Pacific coastal region is, in general, warmer than corresponding 

 latitudes on the Caribbean side. 



"-, 



129 



