San Blas Lightning risk in September/October?

[Paramotorgreg]

We were planning to leave Cartagena and spend a couple of weeks in the San Blas islands towards the end of September, but i have heard gossip that the lightning in Panama at this time of the year is ferocious and 99% of boats get hit.

I find this statistic very difficult to believe, but before I head there does anyone have any facts or information that could support or deny the lightning risk in the San Blas islands during that time of year?

Anecdotal information will be interesting, but any scientific resources you could help me with would be even more gratefully received.

[Paul L]

The weather starts to change sometime in late Nov to early Dec. While the 99% hit number is just hyperbole, the hit rate is pretty high. I would not show up in Panama prior to the end of Nov, unless you are comfortable with excessive lightning.

[JayH]

Have you looked at https://www.blitzortung.org ?

I bet a motivated data-minded person could generate some nice statistics from their historical data. Perhaps someone already has.

Anecdotally, I've been in Panama for all seasons and have spent December in San Blas. Having lived in Florida most of my life I find Panama's reputation for lightning to be overstated.

I have never experienced anything in Panama that produces the volume, proximity, or sheer pucker factor of a good Florida thunderstorm. That's just my experience and wouldn't argue with any statistics to the contrary. Maybe I've just been lucky.

I do know boats in Panama that have been struck, and at least one that has been struck on two separate occasions. Perhaps there may not be an amazing amount of lightning, but it just hits boats more often. Panama is short on towers and buildings (and in San Blas, even high ground) near cruising areas that might otherwise attract the strikes.

Edit: My experience is limited to Caribbean side of Panama.