Costa Rica has only two seasons: the wet season, from May to November, and the dry season, from December to April. There are three climatic zones. The torrid zone (tierra caliente), which includes the coastal and northern plains to an altitude of 457 m (1,500 ft), is characterized by heavy rains, almost continuous on the Atlantic watershed, and by a temperature range of 29–32° C (84–90° F ). The temperate zone, including the central valleys and plateaus, has altitudes ranging from 457 to 1,524 m (1,500 to 5,000 ft), with regular rains from April through November and a temperature range of 24 to 27° C (75–80° F ). The cold zone, comprising areas higher than 1,524 m (5,000 ft), has a temperature range of 10–27° C (50–81° F ) and is less rainy but more windy than the temperate regions. The average annual rainfall for the country is more than 250 cm (100 in).