According to W. Köppen´s climatic classification, the climate in Panama has two climate zones:  zone A of the climate in Panama which is comprised of all of the tropical rainy climates where the temperature is more than 18°C in lush vegetation zones and zone C of the climate in Panama which is comprised of the rainy temperate climate in which the monthly mean temperature is warmer and higher than 10°C and the coolest monthly mean temperature is less than 18°C, but more than 3°C. Simply put there are no big temperature swings in Panama.

The climate in Panama reflects a great marine influence, product of the great oceanic masses of the Atlantic and Pacific that cause sources of high contents of humidity. The climate in Panama is influenced by the semi-permanent anticyclone (high pressure area) of the North Atlantic, because the trade winds of the northeast that affect the lower layers of the atmosphere are generated from this system, thus affecting the climate in Panama.

In that sense, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) which is the confluence zone of the trade winds of both hemispheres is the one that affects the climate in Panama, given that it moves following the apparent movement of the sun producing both seasons of climate in Panama: dry and rainy.

About the seasons of the climate in Panama

The rainy season in Panama begins in May and ends in November with the months of September and October being the rainiest. Between July and August a dry period occurs but not as dry as what the country experiences between the months of January thru March. The rainfall of moderate to strong intensity in Panama accompanied by electric activity is mainly provoked during the afternoon hours. 

When regarding to the dry season of the climate in Panama, the maximum rainfall is associated with the well organized atmospheric systems of the climate in Panama, such as the waves and tropical cyclones of the climate in Panama and the ITCZ of the climate in Panama.

However, in the Central Region of Panama the rainfall is produced after 12:00 p.m., accompanied by electric activity and strong winds.  This region of the climate in Panama presents the most continental zone of the country, in this way the thermal and orographic contrasts play their role.

On its behalf, the Atlantic Region of the climate in Panama is characterized by rainy during the entire year, but with great intensity between December and February product of the incursions of the frontal systems of the north hemisphere towards the tropical latitudes of the climate in Panama, while in the rest of the year the rain is associated with the frontal systems of the north hemisphere towards the tropical latitudes, the remainder of the year the rain is associated with the tropical atmospheric systems that are displaced on the Cuenca of the Caribbean, the sea breeze and the daytime heating of the earths surface.

It is worth pointing out that, the semi-permanent anticyclone of the North Atlantic, simply affects the conditions of the climate in Panama, since from this system of the climate in Panama the trade winds of the northeast are generated in the lower layers of the atmosphere and thus arrive to our country, sensitively determining the climate in Panama.