Thread: Panama Climate

How true, LOL

For me personally, the climate takes some time to get used to. I think it's too hot and too humid, but what can you do about it?

So the weather is pretty unpredictable? Is it considered as a tropical climate? In our country it was a combination of rainy and summer, too but because of changes in the weather, the usual schedule for rainy days and sunny days changed.

Hi Cessy! It will rain almost everyday for a few months and then it will switch to a very hot and dry weather for another few months. There are exceptions but generally it's quite predictable.

Cheers,

Michael

People run from the rain? That is something to see!

I do not get the weather channel anymore. I use to have it, but then I canceled the cable to save money. Whenever there is a storm or such, the local news comes on with information about it.

I think I would prefer to live in the high lands. I like the heat every now and then, but I think mostly I would like to live in a cooler area. I have trouble sleeping in the heat.

Just discovered this forum and am really impressed with the quality of the discussion. Just checked the weather forecast for the next week and am really impressed with that as well. Temperature plus humidity = relative daytime temperature consistently around 40 degrees Celsius. Seems very steamy to me. How do people cope when out of the AC? And is the rain continuous or intermittent? Are there breaks in the cloud cover? Is the rainy season hot, wet and continuously overcast? Would appreciate more discussion on this topic.

Seems very steamy to me. How do people cope when out of the AC?

If you live on a high floor it's quite windy and bearable, even without AC. But spending some time outside is impossible without breaking a sweat.

And is the rain continuous or intermittent?

Intermittent. On average, I'd say it rains less about an hour per day, even during the rainy season. When it rains, it usually rains quite violently, but only for a short time.

Are there breaks in the cloud cover?

Yes, but they are small and relatively rare. There are some beautiful, cloudless mornings every now and then, but they never seem to last!

In other words, the weather sucks, at least for those of us who are used to cooler climates. But then again, most people are not here for the weather.

Originally Posted by PanamaPat

In other words, the weather sucks, at least for those of us who are used to cooler climates. But then again, most people are not here for the weather.

I don't mind the weather. It's nothing to brag about, but I don't have a problem with it.

I love the climate we have here... it never gets cold! and when it's sunny and dry it's the best climate you could hope for. Whenever I return to a colder climate I long for Panama (a lot!).

I find the weather is very different on the beaches than more inland. I like it better near the beaches, but the storms are a little worse.

I take it that during the rainy season people spend a lot of time indoors. Does that defeat the purpose of living in a tropical paradise?

I've seen people go out in the rain. It doesn't rain for the whole rainy season. And, most days you will at least have some breaks from the rain.

People don't melt! Of course life goes on as usual when it rains; people go to work, kids go to school, friends go out dancing and drinking...

Its not like rain in Seattle all winter, where its a constant cold, grey nastiness; its humid, sultry rain that pours down---and then stops. Would you ask if ppl went out in the rain in Seattle?

Cheers.

When I was a kid, I use to love going out to play in the rain. I don't remember why.

I was told that the climate is very much tropical with humidity levels high and heat levels even higher! I think that tropical weather is always the most unpredictable because the weather can change whenever it wants although that is what is happening all over the world as a result of global warming. I can see the weather in my country becoming somewhat tropical and everyone is beginning to accept that fact.

Thats a good news for me , as i will there in march. But One Question, isnt't global warming affecting the climate there ??

zhinghur, although there would a global warming, but you still can avoid it by going to the panama beaches..

I am about to book my flight to visit Panama (and then maybe Costa Rica) during July and August this year. I have wanted to go for ages and will be travelling on my own. The only worry I do have is the weather - i know it can be unpredictable - but what is it really going to be like? I plan to do some hiking etc. but would also like to spend some time on the beaches (getting a tan)? is this an unrealistic expectation in July/August?
Thank you for any advice!

Like many people considering a move to Panama, I searched, in vain, for detailed information on the climate. I wasn't interested in switching from the dreary, cold winter of Canada to hot and humid, so I settled on Boquete for the more "spring-like" year-round weather. Having arrived at the start of the "dry" season I asked many locals to describe the "rainy" season. The best description I got about the rain was that, when it comes, it's "biblical". Visions of Noah's Ark?

Now that I have been here a few months and done some more research, for anyone thinking about the Boquete area at least, visit boqueteweather.com Lloyd Cripe has built an incredibly extensive site with everything you need to know about the weather here, from explaining the "bajareque" to the reasons for the wet and dry seasons.

Most locals will tell you that most mornings start off sunny all year round. In mid to late afternoon the storm clouds coming up from the Pacific, as they cool with the higher elevation, can dump torrential rain for a few hours, then it clears. Although Boquete does not have the high heat and humidity of somewhere like David, it can get plenty warm and the rain is seen as a welcome relief.

No matter what the rain is like, all I know is you don't need to shovel it.

I haven't read anything about hurricanes hitting Panama's coasts , this has never happened ? As far as I remember I have never heard any breaking news about a disaster in that zone, however I want to be sure .Does anybody knows whether Panama may be affected by hurricane seasons or not ?

No hurricanes have hit Panama since 1851. See http://www.squidoo.com/PanamaWeather
If there is a huge hurricane in the Caribbean, the north side of Panama may get more rain -- that's about it.