We had to circle to land at San Jose, Costa Rica a lot and the upsloap into rising terrain on the downwind with lowering cloud height was always a problem. We were flying into rising terrain so timing and not seeing the runway was not an option. Also the maneuver to enter downwind was when conditions were right, not over the airport but prior to the airport with ample opportunity to make a normal visual pattern. A circling approach requires VMC conditions so timing that 45 degree turn to the downwind should not be necessary. It can easily be done visually.