Panama
Weather locations in Panama
Choose a location in Panama to view its available forecast products.
Panama illustrated weather map
4 mapped locations
Only locations with a verified coordinate are marked. The complete location list is below.
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Climate of Panama
Country climate guidePanama is the hinge of the Americas, and its climate reflects that position on both oceans. The Pacific coast has a clear dry season; the Caribbean coast, facing east into the trade wind flow, is wet all year. Narrow mountains divide the two, so a traveller can cross from one to the other in a couple of hours and pass from dry savanna to cloud forest.
Main climate types
The Pacific slope is tropical wet and dry, with a pronounced dry season from December to April and heavy rain from May to November, peaking in September and October. The Caribbean slope is tropical rainforest, wet in all months, and the Cordillera mountains carry a cool montane climate whose cloud forests sit in permanent mist. The land bridge is narrow, so differences across the isthmus are unusually abrupt.
Temperatures
Panama City, at sea level on the Pacific, averages about 27 °C in most months, and highs above 32 °C are uncommon thanks to sea breezes. On the Caribbean side, Colon and Portobelo are warmer and more humid still, with night lows in the mid-20s. The highlands are noticeably cooler: at 1,000 metres temperatures average around 20 °C, and the summit of the Baru volcano can be near 15 °C. There is no cold season, only a cooler one.
Rainfall
Panama City receives around 1,700 mm a year, with January and February almost rainless and September and October soaking wet. The Caribbean side is far heavier, with the slopes above Colon and the Darién receiving over 2,500 mm. The capital sits in the lee of the mountains, which explains the contrast. Upwelling of cool Pacific water keeps the surface temperature low enough for patchy sea fog in the dry season, and overcast skies are common then.
When to go
The dry season, from mid-December to April, is the most comfortable time and the busiest; the beaches of the Azuero peninsula and the Pacific side are best then. The Caribbean coast has no true dry season, so the rain cannot be avoided there. Between May and November, afternoon thunderstorms are frequent and the country is at its greenest, which many travellers prefer for birdwatching. Highland and cloud-forest tours are pleasant in any month if a rain jacket is carried.