Colon and panama in July/August ?

[Wave - Jeffery]

an opportunity to fly over and get our yacht from Grenada and sail/ transit panama in august has arisen, what is the weather like in Colon and panama in July/August? Ive heard it is very wet with lots of thunder storms. of corse continuing on through the pacific is difficult with many countries closed but we are NZ residents so our final destination is assured.

[Dave852]

Well it’s not the best time but it’s possible. Like you mentioned already, lots of thunderstorms. Once you leave Panama southwest towards New Zealand you will also face contrary SW winds and lots of floating trees washed out to sea from all the rain. Some trees will still be found 200 miles out of Panama. After a week of that misery you will pick up the trades and have a pleasant sail for the rest of the way to NZ.

[Wave - Jeffery]

My original preference and plan was to wait till after the current hurricane season.
spend another 3 months exploring /sailing towards Colon starting in Nov/Dec.
who else is going through next season ?

[Wave - Jeffery]

Ive also heard quite a few yachts get hit by lightning around Colon and Panama in June to Oct ? any one able to confirm this or deny it ?

[Dave852]

Originally Posted by Wave - Jeffery

Ive also heard quite a few yachts get hit by lightning around Colon and Panama in June to Oct ? any one able to confirm this or deny it ?

Never got hit around that area but it is the lightning capital of the world.

[s/v Moondancer]

I was in the La Playita anchorage, on the Pacific side, when 5 boats had their electronics fried by a single strike!

[Paul L]

Panama is definitely high lightning strike zone. Lots of boats get hit in the rainy season. If you can plan it with all the other constraints, better to be there after Nov.

[belizesailor]

Yep, lightening strikes are not uncommon in Panama. Ive been lucky so far, here for about 5 years and no strikes.

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by Wave - Jeffery

My original preference and plan was to wait till after the current hurricane season.
spend another 3 months exploring /sailing towards Colon starting in Nov/Dec.
who else is going through next season ?

If your window of opportunity has to be now, I'd mosey through the ABC islands first (at least one of them seems to open at any given time) and wait on the canal zone until the thunder storms have abated. Hurricanes are the only thing I can think of that is worse than a lightening strike. Maybe check out Cartagena if Columbia is open. In a few months hopefully a lot of the places on your way home will be opening back up.

[Montanan]

Weather in Panama:

July Temperature 26 to 28 C; rain 66.6 cm / 26 inches

August Temperature 26 to 28 C; rain 65 cm / 25.75 inches.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=panama...ANNTA1&PC=HCTS




Well at least there is little snow, if that came down as snow it would be measured in equivalent feet not inches.

And they don't have hurricanes in Panama. At least not yet!

Just one of the reason's my Dad turned down the offer by President Johnson to be move to Panama to be in charge of running the canal back in the 1960's when he retired from the military. Instead we moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, back when there were about 1/4 of the population that is the seven counties today. The Bay Area was like paradise in the mid 60's.