Panama's EXTREME Weather

Panama may seem like a beautiful paradise, however the tropical weather can take a turn. Unlike the weather we may be used to with four season, or the idea of four seasons for some, Panama only has two. A rainy season and a dry season. The dry season usually spans from December to March, and the rainy season is from the middle of March to December. This may not seem too bad although we have learned in our past chapters that too much rain can lead to a whole slew of problems such as flooding and mudslides, and even hurricane warnings.

Another weather event that residents of Panama can experience is El Nino. This can cause high temperatures which comes from the warm water. In 2016, a warning was issued to alert ships entering the Panama Canal of lower water levels. This was caused by a drought caused by El Nino.

“Panama Canal Issues Extreme Weather Warning.” Port Technology, www.porttechnology.org/news/panama_canal_issues_extreme_weather_warning.

Canelo, Abelardo. “Hurricane Alert on Panamá and Costa Rica.” The Costa Rica News, NOAA, 7 Oct. 2017, thecostaricanews.com/hurricane-alert-panama-costa-rica/.

“Panama Canal getting shallower due to El Niño drought, ships warned.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 21 Mar. 2016, www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/22/panama-canal-getting-shallower-due-to-el-nino-drought-ships-warned#img-1.

“What is ENSO?” El Niño & La Niña (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) | NOAA Climate.Gov, NOAA, www.climate.gov/enso.

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Unfortunately, landslides are quite common on Panama. The most recent occurred September 30th, 2017.  Six people were reported dead and another four were found injured. Those dead were a family who were found in their home which resided in the path the of the landslide. This event occurred in Cerro-Colorado, Panama.



Tropical storm Otto has also triggered some landslides in the country.



The government issued some tips in ways to stay safe such as staying indoors during a storm, seeking shelter, and staying aware of water such as rivers and streams in case of a flood. In an article I found published in 2015, the Government released a statement of preparedness. This list included having an evacuation plan, planning at least 2 evacuation routes, avoiding water and low areas, and being aware of your surroundings. This means keeping an eye and ear out for debris coming your way. They also mentioned that should you notice that water levels near you are rising then you should evacuate the area as soon as possible and get to a safe location.

Associated Press. “3 dead in Panama rains linked to Tropical Storm Otto.” Fox News World, FOX News Network, 22 Nov. 2016, www.foxnews.com/world/2016/11/22/3-dead-in-panama-rains-linked-to-tropical-storm-otto.html.

“Floods and landslides in 6 areas.” Newsroom Panama, 16 Oct. 2016, www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/floods-landslides-6-areas.


Rodriguez, Vladimir . “Government of Panama reiterates support for all those affected by floods in the country.” Gobierno De La Republica De Panama, 11 Sept. 2016, www.presidencia.gob.pa/en/News/Government-of-Panama-reiterates-support-for-all-those-affected-by-floods-in-the-country-.