Panama Climate
Top 5 Cities: Panama City, San Miguelito, Tocumen, La Chorrera, and Colón
This month in numbers
Panama experienced its 19th warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 25.58°C, marking an anomaly of +0.6°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The three-month period from February to April 2026 also ranked as the 20th warmest on record, with an anomaly of +0.6°C. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April for land temperatures on record, with an anomaly of +1.1°C.
What changed
Panama's recent warming trend is consistent with the broader global picture, as global land temperatures for both April and the February-April period ranked as the 2nd warmest on record. While Panama's temperature anomalies are notable, its ranking of 204th out of 234 regions for the latest month's anomaly (+0.61°C) and 228th for the three-month anomaly (+0.59°C) suggests that other regions are experiencing even more pronounced warming.
What’s driving change?
The warming observed in Panama is influenced by the evolving ENSO state. Currently, the NOAA ONI indicates a Neutral phase, but forecasts show a high probability of El Niño developing between May and July 2026 and persisting through year-end, with a 98% probability by August-September-October. El Niño typically brings warmer and drier conditions to Mexico and Central America, increasing the risk of drought during the rainy season. This aligns with recent reports of heavy rainfall and flooding in mid-April in the Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca and other provinces, affecting approximately 15,000 people and causing one fatality. Additionally, the disruption of seasonal upwelling in the Gulf of Panama in 2025 due to unusually weak winds, a phenomenon not seen in 40 years, highlights the vulnerability of ocean processes to climate change, leading to warmer coastal waters and reduced ocean productivity.
Looking ahead
The strong forecast for El Niño to develop and persist through the end of 2026 suggests that Panama could experience warmer and drier conditions in the coming months, increasing drought risk, particularly during the rainy season.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Panama
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Panama changing?
Panama is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Panama come from?
Climate data for Panama comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Panama climate data cover?
The Panama climate profile covers Panama City, San Miguelito, Tocumen, La Chorrera and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Panama
How often is the Panama climate update refreshed?
The Panama climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.